Looking for Okay
by foureverbookworm
Summary: Just because things are safe doesn't mean everyone is okay. In fact, nothing seems remotely alright. Lily is a squib having to deal with her dreams being crushed. Draco is still bitter making life less than perfect for a squib named, Scorpius. James and Albus are at war and The Potters don't seem to notice how ignored their oldest is. No, nothing is okay.
1. Prolouge

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...**

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><p><strong>PROLOGUE<strong>

"It can't be true!" Harry Potter exclaimed. "It just can't!"

Through the cracked open door, Lily could see her father pacing.

"Harry," Ginny's soothing voice said. "It's true darling. Please don't shut her out. It isn't her fault. She's already devastated as it is."

"Oh Ginny!" Harry sighed. "Of course I'm not going to shut Lily out! I love her! She's my daughter! No, I'm not ashamed of her at all! I just can't believe that she won't get to experience what it's like to go to Hogwarts and do magic. She won't get the chance to shop for her school supplies and go to Hogsmeade. Or play on the school Quidditch team! It's not fair for her!"

Tears streamed down Lily's face. Her father was right. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that her brothers and cousins got to go and learn how to be wizards and witches. It wasn't fair that they got to learn magic. It just wasn't fair! While they were gone and having fun, she had to sit at home. Maybe even go to muggle school and learn muggle things. She couldn't do that!

"I know it isn't fair Harry." Lily's mother said. "But what can we do other than support Lily in whatever she chooses to do with her life?"

Harry's voice sounded determined. "We can make this as easy for her as possible. I'm going to look for a new house."

"A new house?" Ginny exclaimed.

"Gin, if Lily can't be with magical children, imagine how hard it would be for her to see them come home every holiday. Godric's Hallow is filled with magic and wizards and witches. It isn't right to force her to live among all that. Even Al and James think it's a good idea. I ran it by them when I first found out."

"That's a good point." Ginny sighed. "Maybe we should do all this with Lily."

Harry must have nodded in agreement. "I'll go get her."

Lily quickly ran to her rooms and sat on her bed trying to look like she had just been sitting their crying the whole time. It didn't involve much acting on her part. Yesterday, she had found out a terrible thing. She was a squib. An alien in her family.

Hugo had received his letter yesterday. Lily had excitedly been hovering near the window but, no letter came. Finally, Harry had flued to Hogwarts and come back with the news. Lily Luna Potter was a registered squib. Even after the age of seven, she had not displayed any magical qualities.

To his credit, Hugo had immediately thrown a fit. He had stormed about The Burrow screaming at the top of his lungs that there was no way he was going to Hogwarts if Lily couldn't. As far as Lily knew, Ron and Hermione still hadn't been able to convince him to go.

"Lily?" her father asked knocking gently.

"C-come i-in." She sniffed.

He opened the door and sat down next to her on the soft oak wood bed. Lily sunk into her father's welcoming arms and buried her face in his shoulder. "It's not fair Dad." She sobbed.

"I know flower." He soothed stroking her hair. "But you know, Mummy and I still love you a lot."

She nodded. "I know."

"And we are going to try to make this as easy as we can for you." He continued. "Are you feeling up to discussing some things?"

She nodded and followed him out of the room.

"Thanks Mum." Lily said as Ginny handed her a cup of cocoa. Even though it was summer, cocoa was always a comfort drink for Lily.

"So flower," Ginny said carefully. "Your father and I were talking, and we thought it might be for the best if we moved out of a wizarding community."

Lily nodded. "I would like that. If James and Albus are alright with it."

She sighed remembering her brother's reactions to learning what she was. James, had been shocked and sad, had comforted her and had accepted it. He had felt terrible for her and told her so many times how much he wished she could join him in the magical world.

Albus had been a bit less comforting. He had rushed to say he was not ashamed of her but, he seemed slightly embarrassed. His words had turned from comfort to words of pity in a matter of minutes. Lily knew Al meant well but, she didn't want pity. Still, everyone knew Albus wasn't as good with emotions as James.

"Your brothers are fine with it. I've already ran it by them and they think it's a wonderful idea."

"What type of house are we thinking about getting?" Lily asked.

"Well, what would you like?" Ginny replied.

Lily thought for a moment. "A big one out in the country side. Where there aren't many people."

"I think we can find a house like that." Harry said. "What about you Ginny?"

Ginny smiled. "Of course we can. There is one more thing I would like to discuss though. Education."

Lily looked up at her mother. "Am I going to have to go to a muggle school?"

"Not if you don't want to." Ginny said. "I can work from home so, I could home school you if you'd prefer."

Lily nodded. "I don't want to go to a muggle school."

"That's settled then." Ginny smiled at her daughter.

* * *

><p>A few weeks later, Harry came home from work with the news that he had found a house out in the country side of England.<p>

"It's a little quaint but quite spacious." He said. "I've arranged for us to go see it tomorrow."

The house was indeed very big; four stories tall, just about as wide and made of stone. It was an old farmhouse meaning it had incredibly large grounds and to Lily's delight, a stable with a horse in it. The grounds expanded for what seemed like miles into woods that were filled with wild life. All in all, Lily found the house to be perfect.

The next few weeks were filled with packing and planning. Who would get which room? What about flooring, carpet or wood? Walls; paint or wall paper? What color? What design? All these questions made Lily's head spin. Her family seemed determined that she should be content with every choice made. The almost twelve year old knew they all meant well but, it was a bit overwhelming. And just because she didn't get to do magic didn't mean she should get whatever else she wanted!

She had tried voicing her thoughts to her family but, no one listened but James.

"Lils, we want you to be happy!" He had said. "That's all. Honestly, none of us are really sure what to do about you being who you are. It's just going to take some time but, I promise, everything will get back to normal soon."

And he was right, by the time moving day came; the Potters didn't all seem to treat Lily like a glass vase. They still asked her opinion on everything, even things she could care less about, but they were making rationale decisions instead of doing everything Lily wanted.

Moving day dawned bright and early as the Potters scrambled around their now empty house making sure they weren't leaving anything behind. A moving truck containing their furniture and boxes had left earlier. Harry and Ginny had wanted this to be a thoroughly muggle move so they had chosen boxes and trucks instead of magic.

Lily sighed as she took one last look at her old room. The walls were purple with large white spots that had once contained posters and pictures. The soft carpet was white with a faded tinge of orange. Lily smiled remembering how Hugo had somehow turned it bright orange when he'd been teased about his hair color by Lorcan.

"Ready to go?" James's voice asked as his arm snaked around his sister.

"Yes." Lily choked slightly. "I'm just going to miss this place and… all the magic around here."

"I know." He said bracingly putting an arm around her. "So will I but you know, the new house is nice too and it'll have its own kind of magic."

Lily nodded and tugged anxiously at the sleeve of her white dress. "What if I don't make friends? There aren't many people around there you know."

"Don't worry about it." He told her. "You'll have the Weasleys!"

"I know." Lily smiled hugging her brother. He somehow always made her feel better.

* * *

><p>"Here we are." Harry stated as he pulled into the driveway of the new house. "This is home guys."<p>

"James, Albus, help your father with the boxes." Ginny told her sons. "Lily, can you help me unload the car?"

The Potter's went about unpacking the car and moving truck. Soon, the various boxes had been placed in their respective rooms as well as the furniture organized.

"There we go." Harry said fixing the last bed, James's, and getting up. "All the beds are done now."  
>"I don't see why we had to do everything the muggle way." Albus complained. "I don't think Lily would have minded if you just magicked it together like normal wizards."<p>

Ginny looked at her youngest son sternly. "Your father and I wanted this to be a thoroughly non-magical move and that is how it's going to be done mister."

Albus sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes.

"Stop being such a drama queen, Al." James snapped.

"James!" Harry admonished. "Don't snap at your brother. You know better than that!"

"Yeah well _he _knows better than to be such a drama queen. He didn't even do any work! What should he complain about?" James argued.

"James!" Ginny snapped.

"Yeah James." Albus smirked. "Stop acting like a three year old."

"I'm not the one who was whining for no reason!" James retorted.

"James! Leave your brother alone!" Ginny ordered, glaring at her eldest child dangerously.

James huffed slightly but kept his mouth shut as Lily sighed. She hated the tension between her brothers. They had been very close even in James's first year in Hogwarts but after Albus had been sorted into a different house, they'd drifted apart. It didn't help that her parents seemed to favor Albus over James slightly. Well, that's how James felt at least and Lily had to admit it was a little true. James felt jealous of Albus, though he wouldn't admit it, and Albus enjoyed being able to get away with things James couldn't.

Harry and Ginny just couldn't understand why their sons were suddenly at each other's throats but assumed Albus had enough of James's teasing. They didn't know why James had turned slightly reclusive and seemed to do crazy things that he knew would anger his parents, though Lily knew it was because he was craving a bit of recognition. This had caused tension within the family and all in all, Lily hated it.

"I think we're all hungry." She said. "Perhaps we should have lunch?"

Harry sighed. "Yes. Good idea Lily."

"I have sandwiches downstairs." Ginny informed them. "Come on."

Harry and Albus followed the down the stairs but Lily and James stayed behind.

"Are you alright?" the red head asked.

"I'm fine." James smiled a half smile. "I mean, I got yelled at, what's new?"

"James, come on." Lily pleaded. "I'm sure they just…" Lily trailed off, unsure of what to say.

James raised his eyebrows. "They just what?"

Lily sighed. "I don't know." She was desperate to repair her family but, she just didn't know how and it was bugging her to no end. "But they love you, okay? It's just… they just…"

Seeing that his sister was upset, James put on a smile. "Don't worry about it, Lils. I know they love me, it's just a little frustrating." He told her wrapping her in a one armed embrace. "Come on, let's go eat."

* * *

><p>After consuming many sandwiches, the Potters sat around their dining table wondering what to do.<p>

"I don't know about you all but I'm exhausted." Harry yawned. "I think I'm going to take a nap."

"Me too." Ginny agreed. "What are you kids going to do?"

"I'm going to finish my summer homework." Albus told her.

"Good boy." Ginny praised. "James, you should do the same, be responsible for-"

"I already finished it." James informed her in a bored voice. "I think I'll turn in too."

"Oh… um… okay then. What about you Lily, are you going to sleep?"

"No." the small girl answered. "I'm not really tired. I think I might go walk around the grounds."

"Well, okay but be careful." Harry warned.

"I will." Lily smiled.

Soon Lily was out the door and on the vast grounds of the new house. Unsure of exactly where to go, she simply began walking in one direction hoping it would lead her somewhere.

There really wasn't much though. A few trees littered the greenish yellow grass of the Potter's grounds along with the occasional boulder. After about ten minutes of barren meadow, Lily approached a fence. It wasn't a very tall fence, about 1 and ½ feet tall and made of dried wood. Curiously, the girl peeked over the fence and saw a large manor, quite like her new home, in the distance.

"Hello." A voice greeted making her jump away from the fence.

"Oh!" She exclaimed spotting the speaker.

He was a boy and though he seemed quite scrawny, he was definitely older than her. The boy had dirty blonde hair that somewhat resembled a curly mop and his grey eyes seemed to make his skin look even paler than it already was.

"Sorry to startle you." He apologized. "I was just over there when I saw you coming and I supposed you must be our new neighbor."

"Well, I suppose I am." Lily smiled. "I'm Lily. Lily Luna Potter."

They boy's eyes widened. "Potter?"

"Yes." Lily said confused.

"I'm Scorpius. Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." The boy introduced, emulating Lily.

"Malfoy?" This time it was Lily's eyes that widened.

The boy, Scorpius, sighed. "Guilty as charged."

"Your family is responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent people." Lily informed him, her tone slightly cold as she quoted what she'd read in a history book.

Scorpius heaved another sigh. "And your's saved the world. I'm aware of the unfortunate details and I am quite sorry."

"Well," Lily thought for a moment. "I suppose it wasn't _you _who killed them, so no one could blame you."

Scorpius smiled at the innocence of it all. If only what Lily said were true. "It's nice to know you don't blame me."

"So," Lily said plopping herself on the grass next to the fence. "I suppose you'll be going to Hogwarts soon then."

Scorpius sat down on the other side of the fence. "Well, you will be."

Lily looked down, not sure if she should tell him the truth or not. _"Well, he'll figure out anyway."_ She thought. "I wish."

He looked at her questioningly, one blonde eyebrow slightly raised. "You wish?"

"I'm a squib." She sighed. "I am going to stay home and learn whatever it is my mother decides to teach me. All alone."

"You won't be alone!" Scorpius exclaimed.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll be here."

"No you won't you'll be at- oh." Lilt railed off as it dawned on her. "You too?"

"Yup." He smiled sadly. "Me too."

"It sucks." Lily pouted.

The two sat in silence for a moment in quiet thought of their joint situation. Then, Scorpius spoke again.

"How did your parents feel about it?"

Lily looked up at him. "They accepted it." She told him. "They even moved here from Godric's Hollow so that I wouldn't have to be around so much magic. Your's?"

"Not so well." He looked at the grass, twisting a blade in his hands. "They've changed from how they used to be but… they still… it's complicated."

Lily placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sure they'll get used to it. I mean, it hasn't been long has it?"

Scorpius laughed hollowly. "I'd be going into my third year right now." He told her.

"Really?!" Lily exclaimed. "You're thirteen?"

"Twelve." He corrected. "I'll turn thirteen in December. You?"

"I'll turn twelve in November."

"Well, we aren't that far apart then."

A bell rang in the distance from Scorpius's side of the fence. "That's the dinner bell." He sighed. "I'd best be going."

"Dinner bell?" Lily asked incredulously.

Scorpius scratched the back of his neck bashfully. "Yeah… Mum's sort of old fashioned. Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure." Lily nodded waving. "I should probably head home too."

* * *

><p>"Where have you been Lily?" Ginny asked as her daughter entered the kitchen. "You've been gone for hours!"<p>

"Well, the grounds are pretty big." Lily said grabbing some plates from a box in order to help James set the table. "And I made a friend. He's a squib too."

"Oh?" Harry asked from behind his copy of _The Daily Prophet_" "And what's his name."

"Um…Scorpius." Lily answered conveniently leaving out her new friend's last name.

"Isn't that Draco's son's name?" Ginny asked.

"I think so." Harry answered.

"Oh come on!" James sighed. "So what if he's a Malfoy? That doesn't mean he isn't nice."

"I never said he was a Malfoy." Lily pointed out.

"Is he?" James asked.

"Yes, but you shouldn't assume!" Lily replied causing James to smile the smile he reserved for Lily.

"Sorry. Anyways, I'm sure he's nice."

Harry looked at his children skeptically. "I don't know…"

Ginny bit her lip. "It is nice you made a friend though…"

"But Malfoy…?" Harry asked.

"I think this is one of their super weird attempts at having a telepathically conversation." James whispered in his sister's ear causing her to giggle.

"I know…" Ginny said her lips still pursed.

"Just because his name is Malfoy doesn't make him like his father." James reasoned.

"And I thought you said his father changed!" Lily pointed out. "You aren't really going to make me stop being friends with my only friend are you?"

That worked.

"No! Of course not!" Ginny and Harry said in unison.

"Now why don't you take a seat?" Ginny suggested. Lily looked around at the completely unpacked dining room and kitchen. It looked like they used magic after all. "I made your favorite."

"Pancakes!?" Lily asked hopefully causing her parents and brother to laugh.

"No. Your favorite _dinner_." Ginny laughed.

"Pancakes can be dinner." Lily said seriously. "Pancakes are for all times of the day."

Ginny rolled her eyes as Harry called Albus down.

After a filling meal, the Potters all retired to bed.

As Lily lay in her cozy loft bed she thought, maybe being a squib wouldn't be so bad after all. She already had a friend who was a squib too. She had a nice house. What more could a girl want?

Sighing contently, she closed her eyes.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Yay! Another Scorily fic! :) So yeah, this was just the prolouge. In the first chapter, the next one, They'll be older.<strong>

**Please tell me what you think so far!**

**Thanks!**

**~Foureverbookworm**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Lily sighed as she watched the scarlet engine pull away from the platform. She kept waving even as Hugo and James's waving hands disappeared. She would have been going into her third year of school now if she hadn't been a squib. Still, it wasn't that bad. She had cried the first time the Hogwarts Express had pulled away without her but now she was used to it.

"Ready to go, Flower?" Ginny asked her daughter.

"Yup." Lily answered. She looked up at her parents as they climbed into the Potters' car. "Can Scorpius come over later?"

"Sure." Harry answered starting the ignition.

Over the past two years, Scorpius and Lily had become best friends. At first, Harry and Ginny had been extremely anxious about it but slowly, they had gotten to know the reserved blonde boy and actually liked him quite a lot. He was an odd kid. He was polite and shy but not stand offish. He also seemed quite uneasy at times. When he had first come to The Potter House, as the Potter's had decided to call their abode, he had seemed to shy away from Ginny and appeared to be positively terrified of Harry. The two older Potters had put it down to nerves of meeting his father's enemies after the boy had slowly become more comfortable around them.

"As long as you sleep at a good time." Ginny added. "We start school tomorrow." She reminded her daughter. For the past two years, Ginny had been homeschooling Lily. At first it had been a little difficult as none of them had known what to do. Should Lily learn about the magical world? In the end, Ginny had devised an odd curriculum in which she followed what the muggle homeschooling guide told her to but also added in basic things that one must know when part of the wizarding world. Lily had proved to be an exceptionally bright child.

"Okay Mom." Lily said a little exasperated. She didn't really understand why her mom insisting on starting school as early as Hogwarts started. If she was going to have to stay at home, she may as well sleep some!

She cheered up slightly when she saw Scorpius waiting for her in front of her house.

Ginny shot her daughter an amused look. Of course her daughter hadn't thought to ask her until she had already invited Scorpius. The mother watched as her child ran up to the boy and immediately hugged him. The two were extremely close and Ginny often wondered if the friendship would turn into something more. She never voiced her opinions, of course. After all, she was sure Lily would be astounded by the very idea of it and Harry was sure to be against it. Ginny herself wasn't sure how she would feel were a romantic relationship to form between her daughter and the boy, but chose not to think of it. Lily was only thirteen, there was time.

* * *

><p>Lily grabbed her best friend's arm and pulled him towards the stable chattering rapidly. The older boy followed her with a slightly amused but none the less fond look as his friend spoke to him so quickly he could barely understand her.<p>

"A bit slower please, Lils." He laughed. "You're talking so fast I have no idea _what _you're saying."

Lily harrumphed in annoyance as she threw herself onto the hay in the stable causing her red hair to flop. She was often told she talked too fast and it annoyed her. "I was saying that I think James has a girlfriend."

Scorpius raised his eyebrow as he sat next to her. "What makes you think that?"

"He's just been oddly happy." She stated. "He's been practically skipping about and today when the train left I thought I saw him turn to face a girl."

"So? They could just be friends." Scorpius pointed out.

"That doesn't explain the happiness though!" Lily argued.

"Lils, just because he's happy doesn't mean he has a girlfriend." Scorpius said. "He might just be happy!"

The red-head looked away. "James is never this happy." She told him in a quiet voice that was filled with sorrow.

Scorpius hated to see her this way. He wasn't sure what problems lurked in The Potter House causing tension between its residents but he knew it made the usually bubbly Lily upset. He had asked her a few times but she had always avoided telling him. After a while, he had given up. After all, he wouldn't like her badgering him about his home life. As long as he knew she was being cared for and loved, he didn't push. Scorpius felt a great deal of affection towards Lily, more than he had felt towards any other person. He didn't know why and he didn't know how deep it went but, he knew there was something about her that made the fourteen year old want to protect her.

Deciding it was best to change the subject to something that would bring back Lily's happiness, Scorpius gave a smile. "Then, who do you think she is?"

It worked.

Lily jumped at the chance to talk about her suspicion. "Well, I don't think it's Sarah because she's older than James and he used to be scared of her so I thought it might be Alice but then she likes this other guy so..."

"I don't think it's Sarah or Alice either. Frank would kill him." Scorpius referred to his knowledge of the Potter/Weasley family. Sarah and Alice, as he knew, where the children of Lily's godfather, Neville Longbottom and his wife, Hannah. Frank was their overly protective brother. Though he was the same age as James, he would not hesitate to take action against anyone, including his god brother, who dated his sisters.

"Good point." Lily said. She closed her eyes in thought for a moment. "Who do you think it could be?"

"What about that girl you told me about... the one he's friends with."

"Emma?" Lily asked. She shook her head. "No. Emma has a boyfriend." She would know these things. Emma Clarkson was a muggle born who happened to be James's best friend. Lily often asked James about his life and Hogwarts and Emma was a large part of it.

"Oh." Scorpius sighed. Blitzen, the Potter's rather persistent horse nudged the back of his head and Scorpius reached up a hand to stroke the animal's muzzle.

"I got it!" Lily exclaimed making both Scorpius and the horse jump.

"Got what?" Scorpius asked, startled.

Lily stared at him with a look that said, _"Really?"_

"Oh! James's girlfriend!" He remembered.

"Yes you idiot." She rolled her eyes.

"So, who is it?" He asked as Blitzen sat down on the hay behind him and Lily.

"There was this girl he told me about." She began. "I don't know if I told you, her name was like... Trixie! Yes that's it."

"Trixie?" Scorpius inquired. "That's an odd name."

"Must be short for something." Lily shrugged.

"Probably." Scorpius agreed.

"Anyways, she's in Al's year apparently. He met her when she accidentally stumbled on to his coach on the train last year. You should here the way he talks about her! Emma said he's a lovesick puppy!"

Scorpius laughed. He sure hoped that James actually did have a girlfriend. He liked the older boy. James had been the only one of the Potters, other than Lily, to welcome him with open arms. He hadn't been the slightest bit unsure or rude. James had always been kind to him but the black-haired boy had an air of sadness around him.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Lily asked.

Scorpius sighed. How the teen wished he could stay for dinner but Lily and James weren't the only ones with secrets. "I can't Lils." He told her in a somewhat apologetic tone.

"Why?" The question was a simple. Just one word, yet it was so difficult to answer.

"I-I just can't." He answered, looking away.

Lily pouted. Scorpius never seemed to be able to stay at her house longer than a few hours and she'd never seen his house. They had roamed the grounds of Malfoy Manor together but never had she stepped foot over the threshold. Lily couldn't help but feel that maybe, just maybe, Scorpius was just putting up with her. Maybe he didn't really want to be her friend. "Alright then." She said in a slightly cold tone as the dinner bell from his house rang. "I suppose you should go."

"Lily-" He started.

"What?" She snapped.

"I'm sorry."

His voice was filled with so much remorse that Lily's face couldn't help but soften. "It's fine." After all, she kept things from Scorpius about her family. Who was she to expect that he tell her everything? "I'll walk with you."

The two children walked in a comfortable silence as they approached the little fence that separated the grounds of The Potter House from those of Malfoy Manor.

"Bye, Lily." Scorpius waved. "See you tomorrow?"

Lily nodded. "I'm free after school."

Scorpius grinned. "See you later then!" With that he vaulted over the fence and took off towards the towering manor.

* * *

><p>The grin dropped of Scorpius's face as he approached the manor door. Malfoy Manor was a rather daunting looking place even though lights glinted in the windows. It was tall and seemed to grow out of the darkness of the long driveway that lead to it. The manor was several stories high and was surrounded by elaborate gardens that were once filled with plants and imported wildlife. Of course, that was all gone. After the Wizarding War the Malfoy's had lost almost everything.<p>

Scorpius threw open the door and walked into the familiar dimly lit hallway. His feet padded softly along the soft carpet as he walked towards the dining room. Soon he found himself pushing open a large wooden door and entering the room.

There was a long dining table in the room though it was almost empty. Only the very front of the table was supporting dishes of food while the rest was utterly and completely empty giving the rather gloomy impression of a poorly attended dinner party. Two people sat at the table looking at the boy impatiently.

One was a man of about forty with blonde hair so pale that it almost looked white and even paler skin. His cold grey eyes were focused on the boy in front of him. As were the somewhat warmer yet still accusatory brown eyes of the women next to him. The woman had light skin, though it was not nearly as pale as her husband's, and long brown hair that had neat little curls at the bottom.

"Where have you been?" The man asked.

"I was on the grounds." Scorpius answered his father.

"I rang that bell ten minutes ago you know." Astoria Greengrass-Malfoy, Scorpius's mother, informed him.

"Sorry." The boy apologized. "I was a bit far from the manor but I came as quickly as I could!"

Draco's gaze lingered on his wayward son a second more before he gestured for the boy to sit.

There was no sound as the Malfoys ate dinner except for the scraping of knifes on plates or the occasional request for someone to pass something. Scorpius wasn't sure why it was like this but it had been for as long as he remembered. Of course, he didn't dare say anything. His parents believed that children were meant to be seen and not heard. Scorpius wasn't sure where this came from but he went along with it. All he knew was that his parents hadn't had a perfect child hood due to being on the loosing side of the war. Besides, he was much too bothersome. At least, that's what his father told him.

And that is exactly what his father thought. Draco Malfoy's childhood had been far from perfect. True, he had been doted upon and protected from everything by his parents but that, he believed, was what lead him to believe he could do anything. This false notion had lead him to hasten to join the Death Eaters when he was ordered to. Draco Malfoy had always been sheltered from the harshness of the world and was pathetically unprepared when it hit him full force. He had been forced to turn to his worst enemy for help. The man firmly believed that if his parents hadn't doted on him so before allowing the Dark Lord to ruin his youth, he wouldn't have acted like such a coward.

With this idea stuck in his mind, Draco had severed ties with everything that tied him to his youth. He had left Pansy Parkinson, never replied to Goyle's letters, and hadn't gone to see his parents in ages though he lived in their old house. The manor was the only thing Draco had kept from his childhood. Then he'd met Astoria and fallen head over heels for her. In fact, Astoria was the only thing Draco could say he truly loved. She had wanted a child, a daughter, so he had tried his best to give one to her. They got Scorpius instead.

At first, Draco really did try to love the boy but Astoria was so miserable that she hadn't gotten the daughter she so yearned for that he slowly started to neglect his son in order to comfort his wife. As Scorpius grew, it just got worse. He seemed to disagree with Draco on every matter and it bugged the older man to no end. Looking back upon his own childhood, Draco decided he wouldn't make the same mistake his father did. He wouldn't stand for a child who did not follow his every order. He would not have a spoiled brat for a son. So, Draco became swift to hand out punishments to the boy and in general grew tired of him. It infuriated him further that his anger seemed to have no effect on Scorpius. The boy was as headstrong as ever and then he had to go and become a squib. An embarrassment. Though Draco no longer believed that purebloods were better than other wizards he still thought that wizards were far superior to muggles. It was hard not to, that is what he'd been told his whole life.

Of course, Scorpius had no idea of any of this. To him his father simply hated him and his mother never seemed to care. And of course him being a squib confirmed his father's belief of him being useless. So the almost fifteen year old boy just took his father's anger and his mother's disapproving looks and hoped that someday he would be able to prove to himself that he wasn't really a worthless and bothersome pest.

* * *

><p>Lily's return to her house was far more eventful. After Scorpius had ran off, the red-head had walked back to her own house and eaten dinner, chatting merrily with her parents. Afterwards, the two elder Potters had went to the drawing room and Lily had stayed behind in the kitchen, reading a book. At around ten there had been a tapping on the window and Lily had looked up to find three owls waiting for her carrying three letters for her and two for her parents from James, Albus and for her, Hugo. "Mom! Dad! Look!" She cheered running into the drawing room where her parents sat. "Letters!"<p>

"Well, what do they say?" Harry asked.

Lily started to open the first letter in order to read it aloud but stopped, she knew things about her brothers and cousin that they didn't want people to know. These letters were meant for her eyes only. "They're for me." She said. "But these are yours." She handed them the letters for them from James and Albus. Leaving her parents behind, Lily ran up the stairs and shut her room door before collapsing on her rug with the letters. She carefully opened the first one, Albus's.

**Dear Lily,**

**Hi! The opening feast was great! I really wish you could've been there! I can't write much because I'm really tired and McGonagall's been in here telling us all to go to bed since we have classes tomorrow. Rosie says hi and she also says she wants her sweater back when we get back for Christmas. I'll write you later!**

**Love,**

**Albus**

Lily smiled at the short letter before picking up Hugo's next.

_Hey Lils,_

_I've got to be quick McGonagall's been snooping around the dormitories and common rooms. Honestly, I can't believe she decided to stay as Gryffindor's head of house even though she's Headmistress! She's worse than mum sometimes. Oh and then there's Rose! She's been so overprotective lately. I mean it's not even the first time Dad's yelled at me for no reason and she pretty much ranted about him for an hour straight. And now knowing you you're probably wondering what Dad did this time. Well, it's not really a big deal so you can stop worrying. It was just another fight. And there's McGonagall yelling at me to go to bed. I'll write you later!_

_Hugo_

Despite Hugo's assurance, Lily couldn't help but worry. Hugo and his father had always had a rocky relationship. It wasn't that they didn't love each other, they did and they had their bonding moments but Ron tended to shove Hugo away at times. He always felt terrible after he did and would apologize sincerely but lately, Hugo had been wondering how sincere his father's "I'm Sorry's" were. After all, if something was apologized for over nd over again, an apology tended to loose it's meaning. With a sigh, Lily turned her attention to the last letter.

**_Lily!_**

**_Hi! I know I've only been gone for less than a day but, I miss you so much already! Anyway, I obviously don't have much to say as I've only been here for a few hours but there's been something I've been meaning to tell you. So, you know how I told you about that girl, Trixie Finnegan? Well, before summer break last year, I asked her out and she said yes. So, we went on a couple dates and I think she might actually really like me! Anyway, I wanted to tell you but I wasn't sure if she was really interested or not so I thought I'd wait. Today I asked if she wanted to go to the first Hogsemeade trip with me and she said she would so we were talking and one of her friends came up and said, 'A Hufflepuff? Really Trix?' and Trixie said 'Yeah he's my BOYFRIEND, do you mind?' She called me her boyfriend! I have a girlfriend Lily!_**

**_Enough about me though. How have you been? How's Scorpius. I've written to Mum and Dad but I didn't tell them about Trixie yet. I'd prefer if you didn't either. She's Al's friend and he isn't too happy that we've been going out. Not that I care. I should probably sleep now. I've got classes tomorrow you know. Miss you! Write back soon!_**

**_Love you!_**

**_James_**

Lily let out a whoop of happiness she just _knew_ something had been going on between James and Trixie. She yawned and looked at the clock, 10:30. She'd have to wake up early for her mother the next day. Deciding to reply to her letter later, she climbed into pajamas before falling asleep.

"Lily! School!" Ginny called gently shaking her daughter.

"Mmm. Five more minutes." Lily groaned.

"If you wake up we can have Scorpius over for dinner." Ginny wheedled.

Lily scowled into her pillow. "I'll wake up in five minutes." She repeated. It wasn't like Scorpius would be able to anyways.

This surprised Ginny. Lily usually would do anything to have Scorpius over, not that Harry and Ginny usually asked Lily to do things in order to have him over. "Lily? Is everything okay? Did you two get in a fight or something?"

"No." Lily moaned. "It's complicated!"

"Well, luckily, waking up for school isn't complicated." Ginny said though she was mentally filing away the 'complication' of her daughter's friendship.

Lily inhaled loudly. "Fine." She exhaled before pulling herself out of bed.

Ginny smiled at her daughter's bed-head before walking out of the room.

* * *

><p>Scorpius Malfoy's eyes fluttered open at eight a.m. With a yawn, he pulled himself out of bed and blearily readied himself for the day before walking downstairs. He padded into the empty kitchen and was buttering himself a piece of toast when his father walked into the room.<p>

"Good morning father." Scorpius greeted.

Draco nodded but stayed silent.

The two male Malfoys sat quietly in the kitchen munching on the buttered toast. About ten minutes later, Astoria Malfoy stalked down the stairs. Her usually neat hair was in an extremely haphazard and messy bun. She was dressed equally as sloppily. She wore a pair of grey sweat pants, a tight black shirt, and purple robe. It was safe to say that Astoria was not a morning person.

"Good morning, mother." Scorpius greeted politely.

"Shut up." She snapped. "I've had enough of you."

Scorpius sent a confused glance at his father but the man was looking at his wife. "Mother?" He asked.

"I said to shut up!" She screeched causing Scorpius to flinch. "I've had enough of you sneaking in late and going out all day. I don't need you being disobedient as well!"

Scorpius opened his mouth to speak only to feel a rough cuff to the back of his head.

"Listen to your mother." Draco ordered.

"See! this is what I mean!" Astoria raged. "You never listen! And you know what boy? I'm tired of it! You better clean up your act or else!"

Scorpius bowed his head and tried to tune out his mother as she screamed. Every now and then she would do this. She would drink herself into oblivion at night and then wake up and just start screaming at him for no reason. Unfortunately, Scorpius was still not used to it. It still hurt when his mother screamed at him calling him worthless and a bothersome pest while his father just stood there and nodded, occasionally slapping the back of his son's head when he tried to defend himself. It used to be better. They would only hit him when they were drunk and they seemed to always be at least a little sorry that they had. Eventually it had become worse. They had stopped apologizing and soon they started hitting the poor boy even when they weren't drunk. It became a form of punishment that was used far too often

It was just too much though. He didn't know how many times he could hear the words over and over again. It was like a constant drum beat just beating the words into his brain. Making him believe them. It was driving him crazy.

"Okay!" He screamed. "I get it! I'm a worthless, bothersome pest and you hate me and wish I didn't even exsist! But you know what? You aren't exactly ideal people either and I'm tired of this!"

The sharp slap to his cheek was not unexpected.

Scorpius cupped a hand to his bruised cheek as his mother glared at him.

"Don't talk to your mother like that!" Draco growled.

"Why not!?" Scorpius challenged.

"Because _you _are an insolent brat!" Astoria seethed looking as if she would gladly strike her son again.

"And you are a terrible mother."

Scorpius didn't know where it came from. He didn't know why he said it. All he knew was that he had and now he was going to pay for it.

"Why you little-!" Astoria sceramed charging at her son and slapping every part of his body that she could reach.

"Astoria!" Draco yelled pulling his wife if his cowering son.

"What, you're just going to let him talk to me like that!?" The livid woman screamed.

"No." Draco said in a calm voice. He turned to Scorpius. "Get out."

The blonde haired teen stared at his father. "W-what?"

"Get. Out." Draco ordered again. "Don't come back 'till the evening. Right now I feel like I could break every bone in your body and not care so it is in your best interest to get out! I'll deal with you when you come back."

"Y-yes sir." Scorpius stuttered before running out of the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Cliffie? Hope you liked it! Um... so I know that Draco isn't exactly the nicest but this is all part of the plot so... no hate please! Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!**

**Thanks!**

**~foureverbookworm**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

Scorpius ran out of the house as fast as he could, slamming the door behind him. He was dead. He was so dead. Scorpius had no doubt about what his father had said. The man probably would've killed him though he might have cared since killing his son would put him in prison. Tears streamed down his face as he ran through the grounds. What was he to do? He had no where to go but back when it became dark and going back meant facing his father. Why had he voiced that particular opinion!? He should've just kept to himself and let his mother scream. It was true anyway. She hated him. They both did. He didn't know why, but they did.

Scorpius slumped on to the ground in a corner behind a bush. They were his parents and they absolutely despised him. The boy began to shake slightly as he pulled his knees to his chest. His parents thought he was worthless and the moment he went home they were going to make sure he knew that in a way that was sure to be painful.

He sat there for about half an hour, feeling miserable. Eventually, Scorpius took a deep shuddering breath and wiped at his eyes. Pitying his predicament wasn't going to help him, but what would?

_"Tell someone." _He thought. _"But I can't!"_

Another Malfoy shown in a negative light was not what he wanted. People already hated his family for weaseling out of jail time. Scorpius didn't need another Malfoy disgracing the name and making his life more difficult. Beside, where would he go if he were taken from his parents? A muggle orphanage? He didn't want to go there.

Finally, Scorpius decided to go to Lily. The best thing to do was to try to enjoy himself and take his mind of going home. After all, going home and facing consequences was inevitable, he may as well enjoy himself before it. Slowly, the teen rose to his slightly shaky feet and headed off towards his friend's house. Soon, he found himself facing a familiar, sturdy wooden door on the neat little front porch of The Potter House.

He reached out a pale hand and pulled the cord causing a bell to chime within the house. A few moments later, the door was thrown open by a man of average height with messy black hair and green eyes hidden behind circular spectacles. Scorpius could just make out the faint lightning scar on Harry's forehead.

"Hello Mr. Potter." Scorpius greeted.

"Hullo Scorpius." Harry had a slightly worried look on his face. "Are you alright?"

Scorpius had forgotten his rather disheveled appearance. What Harry saw was a somewhat unkempt boy whose blonde hair had grass in it and whose pale face was lined with bruises and almost invisible tear tracks on it.

"I'm fine." Scorpius answered, forcing a smile. "Is Lily here?"

"Up in her room." Harry answered moving to let the boy inside. "Working. You can go on up though."

"Thank you." Scorpius said politely before walking towards the aforementioned room.

Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world, watched him go. "There's something strange about that boy." He muttered to no one in particular. The man wasn't sure if he was entirely comfortable with his precious little girl being around the boy so often. Whatever it was going on in Malfoy's life could not be good and the father was worried that his little flower would be caught up in it. He'd tried talking to Ginny about it but she wouldn't hear any of it.

_"We barely know the boy!" _She would say.

Harry had stopped voicing his opinions but he was still paranoid. He had, however, not done anything to ease his mind but this was too much. Ruffled appearance? Tears? Bruises? He was going to find out what was going on and make sure the boy kept it away from his daughter. _"But how?" _He asked himself. He needed away to find out what was going on but someone who was still kind and was willing to help. Then the answer came to him.

"Hermione."

* * *

><p>James Sirius Potter couldn't have been more happy. His hand was casually slung over a petite blonde's shoulder as the girl laughed at a rather brilliant joke he'd just made.<p>

"You're too funny James." Trixie beamed up at him, her brown eyes twinkling with laughter.

James's already wide smile grew. "What can I say? It's a talent."

She laughed again. Oh how he loved her laugh. It was like a thousand little bells ringing merrily.

The smile melted off his face as he saw his brother walking the opposite way that he was down the same corridor.

"Hello Trixie!" Albus greeted. He nodded at his older brother with a blank expression. "James."

Trixie waved while James nodded at his brother in the same stoic manner. "Albus."

Trixie pouted as they walked away. "Can't you two just _try _to get along?"

"I tried." James told her shortly.

The two brother's had recently fought about James and Trixie. The latter was Albus's close friend and he did not take kindly to his older brother dating her. James had been astounded that his brother had the nerve to try to tell him who to date. It wasn't as if Albus didn't already get everything he wanted at home. Well, as far as James was concerned, with no parents to watch over him he didn't have to anything Albus told him too. Both brothers were still bitter about the argument.

"I honestly don't see what the big deal is." Trixie continued. "I can still be his friend and date you! Besides, it isn't up to you guys to decide who I date and who I don't."

"I know." James sighed. "It's not our place. I'm sorry."

"Good." She said as the smile re-appeared on her face.

James put on a smile as well. "So," He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Would you like to take a walk around the grounds?"

She turned around to face him. "Maybe tomorrow. I have a lot of homework to do. "

"Alright." He said kissing her cheek. He had finished most of his. He hadn't had much homework either as his first day had basically been lectures about NEWTS

James watched her walk off before he turned around and headed towards the Hufflepuff dormitories near the kitchens. He knocked the correct pattern on a sout barrel before entering the familiar warm and earthy room. His housemates lazed around on plush yellow couches in the round room, too occupied to notice that he had entered. His eyes searched the room and landed on the person he was looking for.

Sitting on a sill next to a round window was a girl of around sixteen. The girl had a thin figure and a pale face accented by high cheekbones. Her straight red hair was pulled into a high, long pony tail. Long arms were wrapped around a brown haired boy and pink lips were on his, kissing them. An expression of contentness was on her shallow face, her eyes closed.

Emma.

Emma Clarkson was a muggle born girl, not that one could tell by her test scores. She was a sort of shy girl until one really got to know her. Then she was a funny, sarcastic, and bold girl. She was James's best and longest standing friend. A light smile graced James's face at how happy she looked. Emma was one of those girls who were positive that they were never going to be asked out. So when Emma had been asked to Hogsmeade by tall, handsome Eric Carmichael, she was pleased to say the least.

There date had blossomed into a successful relationship and Emma was on cloud nine.

Deciding to let her be, James clambered up the stairs that lead to the boy's dormitory and entered the familiar room. Five four-poster beds were arranged in a circle, each neatly made with cozy sheets and blankets of black and yellow. With an exhausted sigh, James collapsed onto his bed and closed his eyes. He didn't know why he was so tired. He hadn't had a particularly difficult first week. He pushed his tiredness aside and closed his eyes. It was the afternoon and he had nothing better to do. May as well take a nap.

* * *

><p>"And why are you so convinced that something is wrong?"<p>

Harry gave a frustrated sigh and looked reproachfully at the woman in front of him. Her bushy brown hair framed a somewhat skeptical but none the less curious face and brown eyes were narrowed suspiciously.

"Are you saying you don't believe me?" He asked.

Hermione frowned. "I'm not saying that." She told her brother in law. "I just think you might be paranoid. You are very protective of Lily and very against Draco Malfoy. I mean, he's a fourteen year old boy, Harry."

Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. It felt odd for him to be seated on the opposite side of a Ministry desk with Hermione across of him looking extremely professional. He knew she meant well but it was a little infuriating. He stared past her and through a large glass window. The cloudy sky that the Magical Maintenance department had given them today calmed him.

"Hermione, he never stays past six, he's never invited Lily into his house, and his face was covered in bruises when he came to my house less than an hour ago. Bruises! He was all disheveled as well. Probably was up to something shady with his dad that went wrong."

Hermione bit her lip. "Bruises?" She asked.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Harry, have you considered child abuse?"

"Of course not!" Harry looked affronted. "I would never hurt my children! And what does that have to do with this anyway?"

"Not you!" Hermione said exasperatedly. "Have you ever considered that young Mr. Malfoy may be abused?"

Harry thought for a moment. "No." he admitted. "But now that you mention it, he did seem as if he'd been crying... Still! Child abuse doesn't make sense! Wouldn't he want to stay longer then?"

"Maybe..." She said vaguely, obviously thinking.

"Look, Hermione, I know there is something going on with this kid, whatever it is. Just look into it."

She took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll look into it."

"Great!" Harry smiled.

"What's his name again?" She asked.

"Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy."

* * *

><p>Lily released Pecker, her owl and watched him fly away, three letters tied to his leg. She turned back to face Scorpius who was sitting on her bed.<p>

"Now will you tell me what happened to you?" She demanded.

"I told you." He sighed. "I fell. Flat on my face."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Look, can we talk about something else?" He asked.

"Fine." She agreed.

"What did your brothers say?" Scorpius asked.

Lily brightened. "I was right! James is dating Trixie!"

"That's great!" Scorpius smiled.

"Isn't it?" Lily beamed. "Apparently she's Al's friend though and he doesn't like it. I do hope they don't fight."

"Do they fight often?" Scorpius inquired.

"Sort of." She answered rigidly. "Let's play a game."

Scorpius was caught of guard by her sudden change in demeanor. "Okay."

Lily sighed as she pulled out a random board game from outside her bed. When she had been eleven, she had hoped that her being a squib and the new location would help James and Albus to bond. However, it had seemed to only get worse. It seemed her being a squib had caused Harry and Ginny to give her the rest of their attention. Between Al's accomplishments and Lily's squibness, Mr. and Mrs. Potter seemed to have very little attention to pay to their oldest child who was feeling more ignored than ever. This had, of course greatened the bitterness between the two brothers. Lily was torn between which side to take, though she did tend to side with James more. More than anything, she wished she could end the feud but she couldn't. And it was killing her.

James was becoming more and more withdrawn when he was home. He barely talked to anyone but her and it was seriously beginning to worry Lily. She wished she could just tell Scorpius everything but she couldn't. It wasn't his place to know.

Lily pushed her problems away. No point on thinking about what she couldn't do. She focussed back on the game of Monopoly she and Scorpius were playing. She would think about James and Albus later.

The two squibs' game lasted well into the evening. Finally, Scorpius lost his last dollar and gave in. "Well, you've beat me Lily Luna Potter." He grinned.

"Why yes I have." She smiled. "Do you want to stay for dinner?" She asked, daring to hope he would agree.

Scorpius hesitated, and then opened his mouth. "I'd love to."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Late update! I know!1 But I tried! I had to overcome battles with homework and the distracting lure of Homecoming but at least I updated!<strong>

**Other than that, please review! I'd like to thank LittleMarauder29 for reviewing as well as everyone who followed/favorited this fic! Once again, I love to hear from you guys!**

**Thanks!**

**~Foureverbookworm**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

Dinner at The Potter House could not be more different than that at Malfoy Manor. Instead of silence there was chatter. Instead of coldness there was warmth. And instead of a semi dark gloomy table, there was a round little dining table in the dining room lit by the cheery light of a lamp. The food was significantly better than Astoria's cooking as well. That day, Ginny had made shepherd's pie and Scorpius couldn't help but take three helpings.

"Well, someone's hungry." Harry commented causing the boy to blush.

"Harry!" Ginny chided. She was quite pleased that Scorpius enjoyed her food so much. "Let the poor boy eat!"

Harry refrained from rolling his eyes at his wife's coddling but kept quiet. Though the others at the table didn't know, all he had to do was wait. Hermione would uncover something on Malfoy soon enough, of this he was sure.

All too soon for Scorpius's liking, dinner was finished and it was almost nine o' clock. The sun had set an hour prior and the boy couldn't think of an excuse to stay. With growing trepidation, he made a show of checking his watch.

"Blimey!" He exclaimed as if he hadn't been aware of the time. "It's already nine! Sorry Lils, I really must go."

"Alright." Lily grinned. She was just happy that he'd stayed 'till then. "See you tomorrow?"

He nodded with a forced smile. "Sure." He turned to the elder Potters who were sitting on the couch near them. "Thanks for having me Mrs. and Mr. Potter."

"It's no problem, love." Ginny smiled.

"It was our pleasure." Harry added though it sounded a little forced to Scorpius.

With a sigh, the boy walked out the door and across the dark grounds. After a while, the silhouette of the dark manor came into view and Scorpius subconsciously slowed his steps. The thought of running away flashed through his mind but he quickly dismissed it. He had nowhere to run anyway. Slowly, he approached the front door. The porch light was on but everything still seemed dark and haunting.

Scorpius reached out a pale and shaking hand and grasped the doorknob before opening the door. The foyer was dark and cold but Scorpius could make out light coming from a room somewhere in the depths of the manor. That must be where his parents were.

A feeling of relief flooded through his body. He could easily sneak up to his room and his parents would be none the wiser. He quickly, but quietly, approached the stairs and padded up them.

He almost made it too.

He had just reached his door when a steely voice behind him spoke. "Where do you think you're going?"

Scorpius froze, his hand outstretched to grab the doorknob but instead closing around thin air.

"Turn around and look at me." Astoria ordered in an icy voice.

Slowly, Scorpius did as told. His fear filled grey eyes met his mother's cold brown ones. The boy struggled to remember a time in which those eyes were filled with warmth and love when they looked at him. All he could remember was contempt. The blonde flinched as his mother's hand collided with his face, causing his head to turn.

"I asked you a question." She snapped. "Where were you going?"

Scorpius gulped, feeling like a little child. "M-my room."

"Trying to weasel out of trouble were you?" She asked arching one eyebrow. "Did you really think you could get away with talking to me like that this morning?" She scoffed before he could answer. "Your father is waiting in our bedroom."

Scorpius's face paled but he gave a nod and allowed his mother to drag him down the hall.

Unlike the rest of the house, the master bedroom was well lit and warm. It had a large soft bed, plush armchairs, a little table, and a grate with a roaring fire. It was a cheery room and it was he place Scorpius feared more than any other.

Standing by the bed was Draco Malfoy.

"Good." He glared at his son. "You're here."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Lily bleary sat up in bed. For some reason, she was feeling oddly happy. Had she had a good dream? Then, the memories of the previous day came back to her. Lily sighed as she collapsed on her bed. That day had been great. She didn't know what had changed with her best friend but something had, and he'd stayed. He had actually stayed!<p>

Her happiness was interrupted by the sound of a door slamming down the hall.

"That child is going to be the death of me!" Lily heard her mother shriek.

She banged her head on the pillow.

James.

What had he done this time?

Her unspoken question did not have to wait long for an answer. There was a knock on the door that Lily knew to be her father's, gentle but loud.

Lily quickly grabbed a book and pretended to be reading rather than eavesdropping. "Come in."

"Oh good, you're up." Harry said. "Um... your mother and I have to go to Hogwarts to er... solve an...erm... issue that has come up. Do you want to come with us?"

Lily pondered for a moment. She had been hoping to meet up with Scorpius again. On the other hand, going to Hogwarts meant she would figure out what had happened and she may even get to see James, Albus, and her cousins.

"Yeah, I'd love to." She replied. "I'll get ready super-fast."

Fifteen minutes later, Lily made her way down the stairs, fully dressed and ready.

"What happened?" She asked her parents.

Harry opened his mouth, presumably to say it was nothing but was cut off by his wife.

"Your brother has gone and gotten into a fight." Ginny seethed. "What I'm going to do with that child, I don't even know!"

Lily looked at her father questioningly. James often pulled practical jokes and had a bit of a temper but he wasn't usually one to fight people. However, Harry did not see her look. He was too busy grabbing a handful of floo powder and tossing it into the fire place.

Lily watched as the emerald green flames sprung up in the fireplace.

"I'll go first." Harry announced.

Lily wondered if he was saying this in order to make sure Ginny didn't just burst into Hogwarts, yelling and ranting.

When neither his daughter nor his wife replied, Harry shrugged and stepped into the flames. "Hogwarts!" He said loudly and firmly.

"You go next, Lily." Ginny said as Harry was whisked away by the flames.

Lily nodded and accepted the powder from her mother before imitating her father in throwing it into the fireplace. She stepped into the flames and took a moment to get used to the ash. "Hogwarts!" she exclaimed.

The feeling of spinning around and around began and Lily closed her eyes to keep from getting dizzy. Finally, she stumbled somewhat clumsily on to Professor McGonagall's rug.

The Headmistress's office was fairly neat. Her desk had stacks of paper on it and her chair on one side facing two others. The walls were lined with shelves that had little trinkets organized in some sort of order on them.

"Where's James?" Harry was asking McGonagall in a tired voice.

"He is waiting outside." She sniffed. Her mouth was in a thin line, a sure sign she was upset.

"So, what exactly happened?" Ginny asked from behind Lily, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure. It seems Mr. Potter and Mr. McLaggen-" At this name Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. Kyle McLaggen and James did not get a long at all, this everyone knew. "-decided to exhibit muggle dueling. There weren't many people around but most say that James through the first punch."

Ginny's face started to turn red with pent up anger.

"Lily, why don't you go wait with your brother?" Harry suggested sensing that his wife was about to through a fit.

Lily nodded, trying not to seem too eager to talk to her brother. After all, James was in trouble. She turned and walked quickly out the door, shutting it behind her before descending down the staircase that the phoenix provided. James was sitting against the wall, his legs stretched out in front of him, and staring at the staircase gloomily. His black hair was even messier than usual and bruises, presumably from his recent fight, stood out on his face.

"Hullo, Lily." He sighed.

"Hey." She said softly sliding down the wall so she was sitting next to him.

She wanted to ask what had happened so badly, but James was obviously not in the mood. So, the two Potters just sat, side by side, against the wall, in silence. After a few moments, James let out a loud groan and buried his head into Lily's shoulder. "Mum and Dad are gonna kill me aren't they?" He whispered.

Lily turned around slightly so that she was facing him. "James, they'll get over it. I mean, they're angry but- but-"

She was cut off by a strange choked sound from her brother. He looked at her, looking more like twelve than fifteen almost sixteen.

"James, what even happened?" She asked, the curiosity becoming too much.

"I didn't mean to hit him." He whispered hoarsely. "I just- I couldn't help it!"

"Why?" She asked. "What caused you to do that? You _know _it's a stupid thing to do."

"I know!" He exclaimed. "I do know! He was just saying all these- these terrible things and I got mad, okay?"

She bit her lip. "What did he say?"

He swallowed. "He was- he was saying things like he always does. How Albus is the better one. How Albus was the _real _Potter child. Albus was the one who was actually _worth _something. And- and he said that Albus was the only Potter child who wasn't a disappointment. Because you were a squib and I wasn't worth a knut to Mum and Dad."

Lily breathed sharply at that. She had never thought of how people of the wizarding community reacted to her being who she was. But more than that what McLaggen had said to James! How could anyone be so cruel!?

James continued. "I told him to shut up about you and he just laughed and said; "At least it isn't her fault. She couldn't help her unfortunate circumstance. You on the other hand," and then he laughed some more and told me there was a reason Albus was always considered better. And yeah, I snapped and punched him. 'Cause oh gosh, Lily it _hurt so much._ You know why? _Because it's true."_

"No!" Lily exclaimed loudly. "It's not! Okay!? You are not inferior to anyone! You understand?!"

He just looked away. If Lily didn't know better, she'd say he was about to cry. Except, James didn't cry. Just like how the sun always rose in the east and set in the west, James would not shed a tear.

"James you can't just let him-" Lily was cut off by the phoenix's stairs appearing again. Before she could say more, Harry and Ginny walked, well in Ginny's case, stalked, down the stairs.

"James. A word." Ginny said shortly.

Lily looked at James to see that her older brother's previously pained face had disappeared. James had schooled his features into a neutral expression but Lily could see the hurt still lurking in his brown eyes.

With an almost inaudible sigh, James picked his tall, thin frame off the ground and followed his parents as they walked back up the steps. Lily followed behind hesitantly, she was somewhat regretting coming. Still, as they entered the office, she stood next to James, not wanting to leave him alone.

"Can I go see Al?" She asked abruptly. Lily loved James dearly and she had always hated when he was in trouble. She absolutely despised having to hear and watch him being yelled at.

"He'll be in class right now." Ginny told her.

"Maybe you should go home..." James whispered to her.

She nodded. "I'm a bit tired." she said. "I think I'll go home.

And as she was whisked away by the emerald flames, Lily saw James mentally steeling himself for the argument that was sure to come as Ginny and Harry rounded on him. All she could hope was that James would tell them about what McLaggen said. It was about time they realized how down he was.

* * *

><p>Daphne Greengrass had always suspected that there was something wrong in Malfoy Manor. Something that had to do with Scorpius. He had always been far too skittish, far too quiet, and just not how a child is. Of course, Daphne had never actually had a child. This was something that saddened her. She had always wanted one but to have a child, she'd have needed a husband. After some very rough relationships, she had become somewhat weary of romantic love. Still, the joys of a child were something she had wanted and missed. Therefore, she had jumped at possibilities to watch her young nephew when he had been a child.<p>

From the first time she had met Scorpius, she had known something was off. He had been quiet and polite. Much too polite for a three year old. Still, as Astoria had started working, Daphne, much to her pleasure, had been asked to watch Scorpius. Slowly, the boy had warmed up to her and she had found him to be a sweet, shy boy. However, as time had passed, he had grown jumpier and more skittish and her suspicions had deepened. Eventually, something had happened that had told her exactly what was happening in Malfoy Manor. Of course, no one had come right out and told her, but it was pretty obvious.

It had been a rainy April day and she had set out a plate of cookies for her seven year old nephew. She had left to send a quick owl to the ministry, (she worked from home as a coordinator of events for the Department of Magical Games and Sports), and told the boy to just help himself to some cookies. What she had forgotten was that Scorpius could barely reach her, admittedly too high, counter tops. As she had been sending her owl, she had heard a rather large crash from downstairs. She had gone running into the kitchen to find a porcelain plate lying in cracked pieces among cookie crumbs on the floor. Stooped over the mess, picking up the jagged pieces of the plate with his bare hands, had been her small nephew. Her protective maternal instincts had immediately kicked in when she saw him wince slightly as he picked up a piece of the plate.

"Scorpius!" She had yelled out of pure concern. She hadn't wanted the poor boy to hurt himself.

He had jumped and looked at her with wide, fearful, grey eyes that blended with his paler than usual face. "I-I'm sorry Auntie Daphne!" He had exclaimed hurriedly. "I didn't mean to!"

Daphne had been extremely concerned by his panic and had gone towards him. To her surprise, the boy had turned and ran. She had run after him, calling his name, but though he had been small, he was fast. She had finally decided that he must have gone and hidden somewhere in the rather voluminous Greengrass home. It had taken her ages to find him, but eventually, she had. He had curled up in a small closet full of spare bedding, and had been absolutely terrified for some reason. After she had actually found Scorpius, it took Daphne some time to coax him out of the closet. When she had finally gotten him out, he had looked at her with those innocent eyes.

"I'm sorry." He had mumbled looking at the floor.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Love." She had told him.

She would always remember the look of astonishment on his face as he'd asked: "You're not mad? You're not going to punish me?"

"Why of course not!" She had exclaimed. "Why ever would I do that?"

"Mommy and Daddy get mad when I break stuff. They say I'm too clumsy."

At this she had pursed her lips. "Do they yell at you?"

He had nodded the fear still present in his eyes.

"Do they... do anything else?" Daphne had asked, afraid of the answer. "Not just when you drop something, just ever?""

"If I'm really bad, Daddy has to spank me." Scorpius whispered.

And at that moment, Daphne had known.

She had known that her sister was no longer gentle, she had known that the Malfoys, her family, were cruel, and she had known that poor Scorpius was being used as a stress reliever. And she couldn't do anything about it. No one would believe her of all people. Especially if all she had to go by was a spanking. Lots of parents did that. Still, she had just _known _that Scorpius was not being treated how he should be.

And that was why Daphne Greengrass wasn't too surprised when Hermione Granger came knocking on her door, saying she wanted to talk about Scorpius.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Yah! I know. I'm reallllly late. But honestly, thanks to High School, monthly updates aren't really working. I think I'm gonna try at least every other month though. Thankfully, there was a gas leak in my school so today I get a break. Yay! Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter!<strong>

**Review Maybe? I turned fifteen recently, it can be a birthday present :P**

**Thanks!**

**~Foureverbookworm**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...**

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Ginny shrieked at her eldest child.

James flinched but was not about to give in. Then again, how could he defend himself? He knew his parents would think he was making stuff about McLaggen up.

"WHY WOULD YOU GO AND DO SOMETHING SO STUPID!?" Ginny persisted.

"I- I just-" James struggled to find words.

"YOU JUST WHAT?! JUST THOUGHT YOU COULD GO AROUND PUNCHING PEOPLE?" Ginny challenged.

"IT WASN'T LIKE THAT!" James shouted desperately.

"Then what _was _it like, James?" Harry asked. At least he wasn't yelling, he rarely did.

"I-I-" Again the young boy was at a lost for what to say.

"THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS AND YOU KNOW IT!" Ginny yelled. "SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST STOP TRYING TO DEFEND YOURSELF AND FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS. GOD KNOWS YOUR BROTHER DOES AND HE IS _YOUNGER_ THAN YOU!"

"WELL, I'M NOT HIM!" James screamed at her. "I'M NOT ALBUS! I'M ME! JAMES!"

"WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE LIKE HIM!" Ginny yelled. "MAYBE THEN YOU WON'T MESS UP AS OFTEN!"

James took a step backwards, looking as if his mother had slapped him.

"Ginny..." Harry placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. His son looked so utterly hurt, it broke his heart.

Ginny shrugged him off and walked towards the flames. "The Potter House!" she snapped before disappearing.

"She didn't mean it, James." Harry tossed over his shoulder before following his wife in order to calm her down.

James sighed miserably as he slid to the floor and buried his face in his hands. He sat there a moment before realizing that he was in the Headmistress's office which wasn't exactly the best place to hate himself. Just as he had risen to his feet and walked towards the door, McGonagall, who had been watching from a corner, spoke.

"James-" she began, but he couldn't take anymore. He shook his head and walked out the door.

* * *

><p>Lily knew things hadn't gone well when she heard her mother stalking to the house and slamming doors. She knew it had gone horribly wrong when she heard her father murmuring to his wife.<p>

"Gin, that was not a good thing to say! He is our son! Did you see is face?"

"I know! Okay?" She snapped. "I just lost my temper. And it is a little true."

"How can you say that?" Harry said, though he sounded a little half-hearted.

Lily sighed in her room. It seemed that instead of helping James to pick himself up, her parents had just torn him to pieces. She knew they didn't mean to, he was a difficult child, but if they only tried to figure out why instead of yelling at him, then maybe they would realize how sad James was.

With another sigh she focused back on her schoolwork, wishing it would teach her a way to help her brother.

* * *

><p>"Do come in, Hermione." Daphne said welcomingly.<p>

It appeared Hermione was not as gracious. "Thank you Ms. Greengrass." She said in a firm but polite tone.

Daphne sighed. "Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you." Came the stiff reply.

"Very well, what do you want to know?" Daphne questioned.

"Is your nephew being abused?" Hermione asked bluntly.

She was expecting Daphne to be startled and after overcoming her surprise, hurriedly assure Hermione that no, Scorpius was not being hurt, he was fine, why would she think that? Or maybe Daphne would become angry at Hermione's accusations and defend her sister and her husband. There was a myriad of different reactions that the bushy haired muggle born thought to be plausible.

What the women was not expecting was for Daphne to sigh and sink miserably into a chair. "I figured that's why you were here. It's about time _someone _else noticed."

Hermione arched an eyebrow but stayed silent, hoping the other woman would explain. She did.

"I've known it for a while; I just don't have the power to do anything. I'm not sure to what extent, which I assumed was why no one had noticed. Scorpius is quite shy usually, he keeps to himself." Hermione wasn't sure if Daphne was aware of how little sense she was making, but allowed her to continue anyhow. "I suppose it was inevitable. He can't possibly stay hidden and alone forever, he is a child no matter what they say. He's just a boy!"

Daphne looked at Hermione with watery eyes that held an unspoken plea. "And-and there's nothing I could do!"

The former Gryffindor's eyes softened.

"Look, Hermione," Daphne began finally speaking with some kind of coherency. "I don't know who told you to look, and I don't know why. I also know that I was a complete _ass _to you in school, and I'm sorry. I know it doesn't mean much but I am. It doesn't matter though, hate me all you want, I deserve it for what I did to you but for god's sake, help that child. He needs it, he's just too scared to ask."

"Daphne." Hermione's voice was soft and surprisingly gentle. "You need to tell me exactly what is going on. I _will _help him, but I need information."

"Anything." Daphne whispered. "I'll tell you everything I know, though it isn't much."

"Okay." Hermione sat down across from the shaken woman. "Tell me."

So Daphne did. She told her about her suspicions, the day with the cookies, how she just _knew_, how one day, Astoria just stopped asking her to watch Scorpius, and how she hadn't seen the boy for so long. Everything. The bruises, the fear, the goddamn mentality of his that everything was his fault. "But, I have no proof." she admitted, bowing her head. "He never came out and told me."

Hermione bit her lip worriedly.

"Can you still help him?" Daphne asked desperately.

Hermione took a deep breath. "I can try. I'm not going to lie to you, it's going to be hard without concrete evidence but I will do my best."

Daphne smiled as much as she could. "Thank you, you are truly a great woman. I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner, it's a regret I will have to live with."

At that moment, an unspoken moment passed between the two women. Their times of rivalry were put behind them, maybe not completely, but it was enough.

* * *

><p><strong>Dear James,<strong>

**Tell me. I don't care if you think it's gonna hurt me. I need to know if you're truly okay. Please. I am so so worried about you. I'm begging you to tell me what's going on, how I can help. If not me, please please tell someone James.**

**I love you, okay? I do. And so do they.**

**Love,**

**Lily**

The note was short but Lily had cried while writing it. It was getting too much. James always wrote to her after an argument, always. This time, he hadn't and Lily knew there was something terribly wrong. She wanted to ask her parents what had happened, but she knew that would probably be a skewed version of the story. The girl feared that whatever it was James was feeling would become extreme. After all, her brother had been growing so isolated.

With the hope that James would reply, Lily opened the window for Pecker to fly off and deliver the letter. She watched as the little owl fluttered off, slowly becoming nothing but a brown speck in the distance. With a sigh, Lily closed the window and picked up a book.

Usually, at this time, Scorpius would be over and the two would be up to something enjoyable. However, her friend had sent her an owl earlier, informing her that he was busy and would, most unfortunately, not be able to meet her that day. This left Lily quite bored. Occasionally, Scorpius was not free and Lily never knew what to do with herself on those days. There was nothing to do, no one to see, nothing.

Glancing down at the book, one she had read many times, Lily decided staying home was not going to work well for her. Slowly, she walked out of the door and down the stairs to the kitchen where her mother sat.

Ginny was working on an article for the Daily Prophet on the table with a frown and a cup of coffee. Though she appeared to be working, Lily could tell she was playing back whatever argument had occurred earlier. The way her eyes stared determinedly at the papers in front of her revealed that Ginny was feeling guilty.

"Mum?" Lily asked.

"Yes, love?" Ginny answered without looking up.

"Can I take the bus into town? Just to wander around?"

"Yes, sure." Ginny murmured distractedly. "Just take some money and keep warm."

"Thanks mum." Lily grinned. "I'll be back for dinner."

"Mhm."

Grabbing some money and a coat, the fourteen year old ran out the door.

* * *

><p>Scorpius groaned as his eyes fluttered open. As he woke up, he realized two things. Firstly, his whole body ached. Second, he was still dressed in his clothes from yesterday. He flipped himself on to his stomach so he could quickly scribble a note to Lily saying he would be busy that day.<p>

Slowly pulling himself out of bed, Scorpius ran a hand through his ruffled hair with another moan. Cautiously, he tiptoed to his door and peered out. When he didn't see anyone, he quietly padded down the hall and towards the door. He had to get out of there.

Looking around anxiously, the boy approached the foyer, hoping his parents wouldn't see him. He was just about to open the door when suddenly; Draco Malfoy strolled out of the adjoining hallway.

Scorpius froze, his eyes widening. Oh no. Fear coursed through his veins and he felt his heart beat speed up as he stared at his father. Possible excuses were already flying through his mind.

The two Malfoys stood there for a second, looking at each other through their grey orbs.

Scorpius, who was close to hyperventilation, had just decided to say something when something so shocking happened.

Draco turned on his heel and walked away, as if he was completely disregarding that his son was trying to sneak out.

Scorpius was _sure _he was hallucinating. He most definitely could _not _have heard his father say; "Stay warm" over his shoulder. That was impossible. Draco would _never _let him just leave! And he definitely wouldn't have been _concerned._

Shaking his head, Scorpius opened the door and walked into the brisk air, idly wondering if he had acquired a concussion the previous day.

He had no money, so he simply walked towards town, knowing he wouldn't reach 'till much later, but not really caring. It was peaceful to be out of his oppressive home and in the fresh air outside. He didn't have to worry about his parents lurking around and instead of the cold silence; his ears were filled with the sound of birds chirping.

He arrived in town at around noon and decided to escape the cold by browsing the shops. Eventually, he found himself in his favorite place, the book store. He usually ended up there after a particularly bad night. It calmed him down to be able to disappear behind a large pile of books, maybe curl up in a corner of the store with one. The owners didn't really seem to mind, if at all they noticed.

He was halfway through his fourth or fifth book, _The Fault in Our_ _Stars_, when someone tripped over him. His first instinct was to run, that was usually what he did when he messed up. However, he was literally now underneath the piles of books he had put around himself to read later. Running really wasn't a choice.

"Oh! I am so sorry!" A girl's voice exclaimed. "I didn't see you."

Scorpius slid out from underneath the books. "It's f-" His eyes widened as he stopped in the middle of his assurance. "Lily?"

* * *

><p>Lily had entered town at around two and had spent a while simply walking around and window shopping. The wind nipped at her nose and cheeks, turning them as red as her hair. Deciding that she should warm herself up, Lily had walked to a little cafe and purchased a warm cup of peppermint cocoa before deciding to go to the book store to escape the cold and the slowly darkening sky. She had just been heading towards the back where she had planned to peruse some cook books when she, not looking, stumbled before regaining her footing. Though she had not fallen, Lily had knocked a few rather large piles of books on to the person who she had tripped over.<p>

"Oh! I am so sorry! I didn't see you." She apologized.

The person began to slide out from the books covering him. "It's f- Lily?"

Lily found herself looking at none other than Scorpius Malfoy. "Scorpius?" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?! You said you were busy!"

Scorpius looked down bashfully, rubbing the back of his head. "I just-"

It was at that moment that Lily noticed something. It was a miracle she hadn't noticed it before, a large red bruise stood out against the boy's pale cheek.

"Scorpius what happened?" She interrupted, gently touching the bruise.

"Oh that, nothing." He said quickly. Far too quickly.

Scorpius sounded like James did when he was hiding something from Lily, she heard thar voice far too often and could tell. A quick scan with her eyes revealed there to be similar bruises on his arm.

"Scorpius!" She wheedled. "I'm not stupid. I know something happened."

"I just... fell." He muttered.

"Okay, then what had you so 'busy' today?" Lily questioned, hoping to uncover the truth.

"Um... I just..." Scorpius resembled a deer in headlights. "Nothing." he sighed. "I'm sorry, I just felt like being alone."

"Oh." Lily looked down, disappointed.

"I'm sorry!" Scorpius looked at her beseechingly. Though Lily didn't know, he had truthfully told her he was busy because he hadn't wanted her to see his bruises. She was sure to ask questions that he just couldn't answer. She was already suspicious enough as of yesterday.

"It's fine." Lily muttered. She couldn't believe it; just yesterday she had finally begun to believe that Scorpius had wanted to be her friend for sure. Now, he went and did this. "You didn't have to make up an excuse though. You could have just told me." She continued. "I guess, it was stupid of me to think you would want to be with me every day."

"No! Lily! That isn't it!" Scorpius said desperately.

"Then what is it!?" Lily almost yelled. "I have _never _been to your house once, you _never _stay for long, and now this! I _know _you're keeping something from me and that's fine, we all have secrets, but you can't blame me for wondering how much of this you're faking!"

Scorpius felt his eyes get bigger at the accusation. "No! Lily, I would _never_!" He told her, very aware of how much their conversation resembled one from a cliché movie.

"It's been almost three years now, Scorpius. I'm still not sure. I'll leave you alone now." Lily blinked away tears.

"Lily, wait-!" but she was gone.

Scorpius ran out of the shop, wildly looking around the street for his young friend. He just caught a glimpse of vibrant red hair before the bus doors closed and it pulled away.

"Stupid!" He berated himself. Lily was all he had in life, and now he had gone and messed up.

"_I couldn't tell her though!" _He thought to himself as he walked back towards his home. _"They'd kill me!"_

Anger swelled in him, both at his parents and himself. Why did they always have to make his life so miserable? He understood that it was probably him that caused them to be so hostile but, couldn't they just realize there was no improving him? Or maybe, he should try to be better too. If only they would tell him how.

Feeling a mixture of self-hate and self-pity, the boy walked into his house, not aware of how loudly his stomps echoed in the silent house.

"What the hell are you making all that noise for?!" his mother's irate voice demanded. Astoria appeared in front of him wearing an apron and a frown.

Scorpius looked at her with hollow eyes. "Not right now." He muttered. "You can yell at me all you want, just not right now."

With that, he turned and ran up the stairs. Nothing seemed to matter other than loosing Lily.

As soon as he got to his room, Scorpius threw himself on his bed, burying his face in his pillow to muffle any sound, and screamed.

* * *

><p>"Ugh. Talk about tantrums!" Astoria groaned looking at the spot where her son disappeared with a faint look of disgust. "Then again, he always was a brat."<p>

"Well, you know teenagers, love." Draco answered. Thankfully, his wife did not catch the distracted tone of his voice.

As Astoria began to rant, Draco couldn't help but glance up the stairs worriedly. Something was obviously very wrong. Was that a scream he heard?

Catching himself, he snapped out of his trance before resuming his listening of his wife. She was what mattered. She was who had saved him. Not the boy.

* * *

><p>Lily ran to her house from the bus stop, tears streaming down her face. Three bloody years, he hadn't cared. He had been pretending. She had never actually had a friend.<p>

Without pausing to greet her parents, the girl went straight up the stairs and collapsed on her bed. She had never felt so lonely in her life. Why would someone do something like that? Why would he giver her false hope? He had made her think she was not alone, but she was. Scorpius had betrayed her, she felt.

Lily was still crying when she heard a soft knock on her door.

"Lily?" Ginny's voice asked quietly. "Are you alright darling?"

Lily shook her head before realizing her mother couldn't see her through the door. "No." She wailed.

Her mother opened the door and sat down next to Lily, wrapping her in a hug. "What happened, Flower?" Ginny asked running a hand through Lily's hair soothingly.

And Lily told her.

She told her about everything. Starting from Scorpius's note to their conversation, how she felt so betrayed and alone.

Ginny just listened, taking it all in, and rubbing her daughter's back comfortingly.

She had heard Lily come in, slamming the door behind her and known something had gone wrong. However, this had not been what she was expecting. Scorpius had seemed to be such a kind boy, so polite and Ginny had believed that he cared for Lily.

"Perhaps," she spoke. "This is all a misunderstanding. It seems to me that he felt quite bad about this too."

Lily shrugged, sniffing. "I suppose."

"Maybe tomorrow you should talk to him, work things out. If he really does not want to be your friend, which I doubt, he will tell you if you ask him."

The girl nodded. "Okay, mum. I'll try." She looked at Ginny with watery brown eyes. "What if he says no? What if he doesn't like me?"

"Then he will have lost a very good friend and a very good person." Ginny replied softly.

* * *

><p>James looked down at the letter in front of him.<p>

**Dear James,**

**Tell me. I don't care if you think it's gonna hurt me. I need to know if you're truly okay. Please. I am so so worried about you. I'm begging you to tell me what's going on, how I can help. If not me, please please tell someone James.**

**I love you, okay? I do. And so do they.**

**Love,**

**Lily**

It was quite short, not at all complicated, then why was it so difficult to reply?

If there was one thing James Potter the Second would not do, it was hurt his little sister. She meant too much to him. However, it seemed every possible way of answering her letter would hurt her.

If he told her the truth, what his mother had said, she would be angry at Ginny and would probably be upset. If he told her he was fine or lied to her in any other way, she was sure to figure it out and would be hurt that he was keeping things from her.

"James?" A soft voice asked.

The black haired boy jumped, almost falling off his bed. "Oh god! Emma, don't do that!"

She tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear as she sat next to him. "Sorry. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He answered automatically.

She raised her eyebrows at him skeptically. "Come on, you can't pull that on me."

He sighed. "It's nothing. I don't even know why I'm so upset; they haven't said anything that isn't true."

"McLaggen or your parents?" Emma asked. "Because I am sure at least one of them said something that wasn't."

James shook his head. "No, they were right about me. McLaggen was wrong about Lily though. I can't believe he had the nerve to go after her!"

"Forget about her, he shouldn't be going after you either! James, I'm worried." She gestured to the letter. "Lily's worried. You can't keep doing this to yourself!"

"I'm not doing anything to myself!" He protested. "I just-I don't know."

"Em!" A voice called.

The sound of footsteps approached them and soon, Eric walked through the door.

He was tall, very tall, and burly with his beaters build. His brown hair was neatly gelled into a coif and his black eyes twinkled on his tan skin. There was no denying that Eric Carmichael was a very handsome boy.

"Oh. Hey James." He greeted casually before turning to Emma. "Em, you ready for our walk?"

Emma glanced at James with concern. "Um..."

He looked at her and smiled as best he could. "I'm fine Emma. Go, have fun!"

"Are you sure?" She asked getting up.

"Of course. I'll see you later." James assured her.

"Alright, bye James!"

The eldest Potter child watched as Emma grabbed Eric's hand and disappeared down the stairs.

With a sigh, he turned back to Lily's letter.

After a few moments of thought, he picked up his quill and began to write.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: *waves shyly* Hi... Yeah, it's been a while... again. You see, there is so much to read, so much to write, so much to watch and my teacher's keep giving me homework. Oooh and let us not forget midterms. Ugh. Anyway, hope you like the chapter! Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!<strong>

**Tell me what you think!**

**Thanks!**

**~Foureverbookworm**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...**

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Hey! Yea, sorry I know it has been a while but I have had a few extremely busy weeksmonths lately. *cough cough* English paper *cough cough*. Also, I was trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with this fic. A friend of mine pointed out to me that it carried similarities with my previous Scorily fic, GREEN. I do not want to be writing a fic that is like one I have already written so I was thinking about how I could make this different. I have thought up of some things, (I won't tell you what; no spoilers), however one of those things is a bit of a drastic change. Instead of making this fic a Scorily centered fic, I am going to make it a Next Generation fic that will include all of the characters and focus on Lily, Scorpius, James, Albus. Also, I know this isn't cannon but I am changing the ages so that Lily is only a year younger than Albus and Scorpius instead of two. I just need her to be a little bit older. Sorry if this inconveniences you in any way, I hope you still stick with the fic. Haha, that rhymes. **

**Thank you!**

**~Foureverbookworm**

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><p><strong>Chapter Five:<strong>

James forlornly watched the owl fly away. It was for her own good, he told himself. She didn't need to be worrying about him. She deserved more than that. Once the bird was nothing but a dot in the distance, the boy collapsed on to his bed. "It's fine." he muttered to himself. "Everything will be fine." And if James Potter cried, if he was ever willing to show his feelings, he would have. But, he couldn't. He had to be strong, always. That was just how it was. Even when he had potentially just lost the best thing that he had. It was for her own good.

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><p><strong>Dear Lily, <strong>

**I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you, or to worry you in any way. You're my everything, you know that right? Which is why I can't tell you. I can't. I'm sorry. It is my problem, not yours. I love you. **

**James**

Lily let out a scream of frustration and despair. This was her fifth time reading the letter and she still could not believe it. James was shutting her out. _James _was shutting her out. He wasn't telling _her_ what was going on. James always told her. That was how there relationship worked. No secrets. Until now. And suddenly there was one. Rearing its great ugly head of mystery and separating her from her brother like some grotesque barrier. A monster. Secrets seemed to be becoming her downfall. First Scorpius and now James.

Lily let out a mirthless chuckle. Soon Al would probably be hiding things from her too. In fact, she wasn't even sure if he did keep things from her. It wasn't that they weren't close, of course they were. Al was her brother and she loved him just as much she loved James. He loved her too, this she knew. He just showed it in a different way. While James would often tell her and do sweet little things to help her or make her happy, Al was more subtle. He would do things like initiate games of quiditch with her or maybe come sit next to her while she was watching a movie, or ask interested about muggle things.

Now, with no James, no Scorpius, and No Al, Lily felt ever so alone. She half-wished she could go down stairs and demand that her parents tell her what had happened to make James so distant. She half-wished she cod march next doors and rage at Scorpius. But she couldn't. She couldn't do anything. Her parents weren't at home and Scorpius seemed so untouchable now.

Instead, she picked up her quill and wrote.

**Dear Al, **

**Hey. Um, not really sure what to say. It's been a while and I was wondering how you were. I haven't been so well myself. Things are kind of messed up for me right now. I'm not really sure how to explain it but I have never felt more alone in my life. Yet, I am surrounded by people who love me. Do you know the feeling? Of course you don't, at least, I certainly hope you don't. It is a feeling I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. **

**Love you and miss you,**

**Lily**

Still feeling unsatisfied and oddly empty, Lily picked up another piece of parchment.

**Dear Hugo,**

**How have you been? Rose tells me you met a girl, I need to know everything. I miss you. I really really miss you. Christmas break simply can not come fast enough.**

**Lily**

She dipped her quill in ink again, contemplating. Then she put it down. It was obvious James didn't want her interfering. Well, then she wouldn't.

Her mind wandered to what her mother had told her yesterday. Maybe she had just been over-reacting to Scorpius's lie. Maybe he had a real reason. There was no harm in asking him. And she really could do with a friend at the moment. At the same time, what if she had been right. What if he hadn't actually cared?

_Then you should know the truth. _Lily told herself. _You deserve the truth. _So she wrote.

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><p>Scorpius paced his room, running his hands through his hair. He had decided to remain in his room on his own accord and his parents really didn't seem to mind. With a groan he collapsed on to his bed.<p>

"What am I going to do?" He asked the empty room.

Unsurprisingly, it did not reply. Rooms are usually not very good at giving advice.

"I can't tell her," Scorpius continued, "but I can't let her think I hate her."

Once again, the room didn't reply.

"Oh look at me!" He sighed miserably. "I'm talking to an empty room! What do I expect? For someone to just knock on the door and magically wash away my problems?"

There was a knock on the door.

"You have _got _to be kidding me." He laughed humorlessly, marveling at the irony of the situation. "It's open."

The door was slowly opened and Scorpius realized, it was most definitely _not _someone who was there to magically wash away his problems.

Draco Malfoy stepped into the room, completely silent.

"Hello, father." Scorpius greeted hollowly. "I suppose you're here to tell me how much trouble I'm in, right? Well, just get it over with. I'd rather not wait."

"Actually," the man said curtly. "I'm here to give you this." He held out a platter on which two sandwiches sat. "I thought you might be hungry."

Scorpius's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"I thought you might be hungry, Scorpius. You know, hungry? That empty feeling little boys get in their tummies when they haven't come down to eat because they've been moping in their room all day?"

"Yes, I'm quite aware what the word hungry means." Scorpius replied. He was, for some reason, annoyed. "I was simply expressing my great bewilderment at you actually _caring. _You know, caring? That thing you don't do?"

He winced. Ooh. That was not a good thing to say. He was dead. So, so, dead.

Draco opened his mouth before closing it again. He placed the plate on the floor before opening his mouth again. "Watch your tone." Was all he said before closing the door as he walked out.

Scorpius sighed before laying back down on his bed. "How pathetic am I?" He asked. "Even my father is taking pity on me."

Well, no point in wasting good fortune. Scorpius picked up the plate of sandwiches and bit into a rather good cheese and tomato sandwich.

"And now I am eating while the state of my closest friendship lies in balance. And I'm still talking to my empty room." He paused. "Oh bloody hell, I'm delirious." He took another bite of the sandwich.

After he had eaten both the sandwiches, Scorpius seemed to be thinking straighter. Just as he was about to turn his mind to his conundrum, there was a scratch at his window. Confused, he got off the floor, on which he had been sitting, and walked to the window, throwing it open.

He was met by a rather large owl flying directly onto his face.

"Bloody hell! Owl!" He yelled, pushing the feathery creature off him.

The owl flew around the room before perching itself on one of his bedposts, looking at him with its large amber eyes expectantly.

"Merari!" Scorpius exclaimed. This was Lily's owl. She had named it because of it's temperament. Merari meant bitter in Hebrew, as Lily had explained to him, and Merari was a very ill-tempered owl. She was actually quite prone to biting and slapping people with her large wings, especially Scorpius who she seemed to have a certain distaste for.

Carefully, Scorpius approached the owl, slowly reaching out his hand. "Good little owl, don't bite me. You don't want to bite me." Merari bit him.

"Bloody owl!" Scorpius swore under his breath before once again trying to retrieve the letter from the temperamental owl. This time, he escaped with only a cuff the the head by a feathery wing.

Rubbing his head, Scorpius cautiously opened the letter. For a few seconds, he just held it, not unfolding the heavy parchment in order to read the words. He just stared. This was from Lily. The girl who he had just hurt. Did he really want to know what it said?

He steeled himself and unfolded it, taking in the sight of the carefully written words. Lily's words.

**Dear Scorpius,**

**Look, maybe I over-reacted yesterday. Maybe you do have a reason. And yes, maybe it is something you can't tell me. I get that. Everyone has the right to keep their secrets a secret. I don't expect you to tell me everything. There is one thing I do need to know though. Are you still my friend? Do you still want me in your life? I want the truth, I deserve the truth. And yes, if you say no, if you say what I assumed last night was true, I will be hurt. I will be upset. But, I'll be even more upset if you lie to me. So, tell me.**

**Lily**

Scorpius didn't hesitate.

**Lily**

**YES! I am still your friend. What you assumed last night was not true. Know that. Look, there are things I can't tell you just how there are things you don't tell me. That doesn't mean I don't want you in my life. I will always want you in my life. If you still want me, that is. **

**Scorpius**

"Merari?" Scorpius tentatively held out the letter. "Take this to Lily, won't you?"

For once, the owl did not cause him bodily harm as she swooped out the window, the letter clutched in her beak.

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><p>"Potter."<p>

James sighed, not turning away from the book he was perusing. "McLaggen, can I help you?"

The boy snorted. "You couldn't help anyone!"

James rolled his eyes. "What do you want?" He turned to face the Gryffindor who smirked at him.

"McGonnagall wants to see you in her office"

"Brilliant, goodbye." James closed his book as he rose from the table.

He turned and walked out of the Great Hall, ignoring the jeer of "Someone's moody today." That McLaggen through at his back.

He walked the all too familiar steps to the Headmistress's office, certain he was in for another loud lecture on his less than desirable behavior. Soon, he was facing the large stone griffin. "Dumbledore." he said glumly before making his way up the staircase presented to him. Dragging his feet, he ascended until he was facing a sturdy wooden door. He knocked.

"Come in!" A voice from inside called.

He opened the door and walked into the office. "You wanted to see me, Professor?"

"Ah, Mr. Potter." The elderly lady beckoned for him to sit and he obeyed.

"Now," as McGonngall spoke, James steeled himself for the berating that was sure to come. "are you alright, Mr. Potter?"

"W-what?" James asked, caught off-guard.

"Are you alright, Mr. Potter?" She repeated. "You seemed to be in considerable distress after meeting your parents the other day."

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." James gaped at her, confused. "Are you?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, Mr. Potter, I'm quite alright."

"Good. That's good." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. There was a moment of silence before James spoke again. "So, um, anything else Professor?"

She sighed. "No, Mr. Potter, you may go."

James stared at her. "You-you aren't going to... you know?"

"No, Mr. Potter, I do not know, but I assure you, I have nothing else I wish to speak with you about."

"Okay, er, I'll just be going then." Bright red, James stumbled out of the office, nearly tripping all the way down the stairs. "Smooth, Potter." He muttered to himself as he walked back towards the common room. It would be mercifully empty as the student population would be swarming the Great Hall for dinner, he wasn't that hungry anyway.

James made his way up to his dorm room before collapsing on the bed, still in his robes and glasses. The event that was his conversation with McGonnagall puzzled the sixteen year old very much. He had been certain she was going to yell at him and yet, she had calmly asked if he was okay. Why would she care about that?

James sighed Some things, he was sure he would never find out. With a sigh, he fell a sleep.

"James!" Someone was shaking him.

He opened one eye slightly to see red hair.

"Go away, Lily." He muttered. Still, he was pleased. Lily was here, wherever here was. She wasn't mad at him.

"James, it's Emma and you're going to be late." The voice said impatiently. "Good thing you're completely dressed anyway."

"What?" He asked groggily.

"You fell a sleep." She answered. "Now, get up!"

He groaned loudly but did as she said. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get your arse to the common room or I'm leaving." She answered walking out the door. Still, he could see the slightly fond and amused smile she wore.

"Such nice friends I have." He tossed at her jokingly as she left.

She poked her head back in, laughter dancing in her eyes, "You wore your glasses to bed, Potter. That's classic. Consider yourself lucky I didn't comment 'till now."

He laughed as she closed the door an he quickly changed into a pair of robes he hadn't slept the night in. He then ran out of the dorm and down the stairs where Emma was waiting for him.

"Where's Eric?" He asked her as they walked towards the Great Hall.

"Went ahead with some of his friends. I wanted to wait for you though. I've felt bad you know? I've been with Eric so much lately, I feel like I've been ignoring you."

"Oh no!" James exclaimed. "No, no! Of course you haven't! Em, you have a boyfriend, I don't expect you to be with me all the time or at all really."

She looked at him concerned. "Yea, but you're my best friend and something has been bugging you since you got in that fight."

"Sheesh." James faked an exasperated tone. "First McGonnagall, now you! I'm fine." He lied.

Well, to him it wasn't a lie. He was fine. He was just upset over nothing. And really, he totally was not anxious about getting a reply from Lily. Scared? He wasn't scared she would shut him out like he had her. As for his parents? Nope. Definitely scared of what they'd have to say. And he didn't hate himself. He was just accepting his flaws. That was all. He was fine.

Yet, as the two Hufflepuffs entered the Great Hall, James looked up. Scanning the flurry of owls for the familiar sweeping wings of Merari, Lily's owl. As he was pouring himself a bowl of cornflakes, he spotted her. A great big Great Horned Owl with tan feathers and large amber eyes. He followed Merari with his eyes, watching as she swooped over the Gryffindor table, dropping two letters. On for Al and another for Hugo. Anxiously, he watched the owl, hoping it would fly over to him but at the same time dreading it.

His eyes widened and with great difficulty he swallowed a lump in his throat. Merari had flown out of the Hall.

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><p>"He's being abused." Hermione threw a stack of papers on the table in front of her friend.<p>

"What?" Harry asked.

"Scorpius Malfoy? You asked me to look into him." Hermione gave him a reproachful look. "They boy you claimed was involved in 'shady business' is being abused. I don't know how much but I do know that much."

Harry gaped at her. "Abused? Seriously?"

"According to his aunt, yes."

"And she's trust-worthy?"

Hermione looked at him. "If you were abusing one of your children and I knew it, I wouldn't hesitate to tell."

"Thank you for that terrifying insight." Harry said dryly. "But just think, Hermione. Daphne doesn't have a good relationship with Malfoy and his wife. They don't get along."

"So?" She challenged.

"So, think, Hermione. I think you're letting your love of children blind you. She could have easily said that to get Draco and Astoria in trouble."

"I think _you_ are letting your over protectiveness blind _you_." She retorted. "First you tell me you think a fourteen year old boy is up to something. Then, when I tell you it ins't him, it's his bloody parents, you refuse to believe it! Scorpius Malfoy is not going to hurt your daughter on purpose!"

"He's almost fifteen." Was all Harry could say.

Hermione let out a loud sound of frustration as she rolled her eyes. "You're so.. just ugh! Get over yourself, Harry! God knows I love you but you're so oblivious! _You _think Harry! He's being _abused_!"

"Okay, okay, okay!" Harry put his hands up in surrender. "Just say he is being abused. What do you want me to do about it? You're the one who works here." He gestured at the walls of the Ministry office.

"You live right next to him. Your daughter is his best friend." Hermione stated. "See if you can gather any clues. We need more information to be able to launch an investigation."

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "You're making this sound like some under cover job." He sighed. "Yeah, okay. I'll watch him and see what I can find. Honestly, for his own sake, I sure hope you're wrong about Scorpius."

She pursed her lips. "I wish I was wrong too, but I'm not."

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><p>Albus was not exactly surprised when Merari dropped a letter on his pancake, but he wasn't exactly expecting it either. Lily and him exchanged correspondence, sure, it was just he hadn't replied to her last letter yet and usually spontaneous letters went to James, something Albus was a little bit jealous of. So, he was shocked but pleased to receive Lily's letter. Well, until he read it.<p>

**Dear Al,**

**Hey. Um, not really sure what to say. It's been a while and I was wondering how you were. I haven't been so well myself. Things are kind of messed up for me right now. I'm not really sure how to explain it but I have never felt more alone in my life. Yet, I am surrounded by people who love me. Do you know the feeling? Of course you don't, at least, I certainly hope you don't. It is a feeling I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy.**

**Love you and miss you,**

**Lily**

He stared at the letter for a minute, slowly beginning to understand why Lily sent these things to James. He had no idea what to do or say. Certainly she would have given James more detail? He looked up at the Hufflepuff table expectantly. James was looking down at the table, desolately picking up cornflakes in his spoon and then letting them fall back into the bowl. He had no letter.

_"Okay." _Albus thought. "_She wants my help. Not James's. Maybe he did something?" _Albus immediatly felt bad for his quick suspicion of his brother.

Albus stared at the letter, at a complete loss as to what to do. However, he was incredibly worried. Lily was usually a very happy person, bubbly and full of life. Coming from her, this was nothing short of depressing. Albus was smart, sure, but he had no clue what to do in a situation which was particularly bad because he often caused solutions. Albus tended to greatly over think things and exaggerate any problem. For example, currently he was freaking out at the thought of Lily sitting alone in her bedroom crying and contemplating things Albus would rather not think about.

"Albus?" One of his friends asked.

"Hold on." He waved them off before following a figure out of the Great Hall. "James!"

The older boy whirled around and met his eyes, surprised. "Al, what's wrong?"

Albus had to give one thing to James. Even though the two boys were on less then desirable terms, James could always tell when something was wrong and was immediately helpful.

"Look at this!" Albus thrust the letter at his brother, a sort of aggressive worry in his voice.

James read over the letter several times, his face getting steadily paler and his eyes getting steadily wider with each reading. "Oh my gosh."

"What?!" Albus asked.

James dropped the letter, not noticing as it floated to the floor. "This is all my fault." He whispered.

"What?" Al's voice now carried a sort of coldness. Anyone that messed with his sister was on the his bad side, especially his own brother.

"I didn't mean to." To any onlooker, it would have appeared that Albus was the older brother, furious with a young and vulnerable child. James was slowly backing away, as if he was scared of what his younger brother would do.

"What dd you do!?" Albus leaped forward with all his strength, (a considerable amount considering he was a beater), and shoved James up against a wall. "You're her brother goddamnit, what did you do!?"

"Al!" James yelped.

"Don't Al me!" Albus snapped viciously. "You hurt her!"

James put his hands up. "I know." He sighed. "You're right, I did. Hit me if you want. I deserve it."

"Yeah, you do." Albus growled. "But I don't have time to waste. I have to go make sure _my _sister is okay." With that, he shoved his older brother away from him and stalked off, not bothering to look back.

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><p>If he had looked back, he would have seen the utterly desolate look on his brother's face. He would have seen James slide down the wall and bury his head in his knees. He would have seen this, and maybe he would have calmed down enough to realize what he had done. But he didn't see it.<p>

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><p><strong>Author's Note: HEHEHE. This is for you imaagine4ever. I told you I'd try to make it a little funny, I didn't say I wouldn't make it sad.<strong>

**Anywayy, I hope all of y'all liked the chapter. I know it is late, explained above. Um... yeah, hope you guys are okay with the new spin on the fic.**

**Just tell me what you think!**

**Thanks!**

**~Foureverbookworm **


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...**

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Hey guys! Um... I guess it might have been a while, but hey, I try. Anyway, recently I have posted a new Next Generation Fic and I would really love it if you guys could check it out. It hasn't really gotten much of a response and I'd love if you guys could read it. It is called Life after Death and is a bit James-centeric but all three Potter kids are the main characters. Thanks!<strong>

**~Foureverbookworm**

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><p><strong>Chapter Six:<strong>

**Lily**

**YES! I am still your friend. What you assumed last night was not true. Know that. Look, there are things I can't tell you just how there are things you don't tell me. That doesn't mean I don't want you in my life. I will always want you in my life. If you still want me, that is.**

**Scorpius**

Relief. That was the one feeling the flooded through Lily's body. She had expected to be angered by Scorpius's reply, that he was hiding something huge from her, but she wasn't. After all, she hid everything about James from him, he had the right to hide from her. He was still her friend, that was all that mattered. She wasn't alone.

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><p>Harry strolled into his home, acting as casual as he could. He still wasn't sure he believed Hermione, after all, Draco had changed. Still, it was an explanation of what was going on in the house next doors. "Hullo, Gin." He kissed her on the cheek, barely registering her preoccupied look. "How's Lily? Does she have that friend of hers over?"<p>

Ginny looked at him strangely. "She's fine... I don't think Scorpius is over." She put her hands on her hips. "Are you still on about 'something suspicious'?"

"No, no, of course not!" Harry told her. "Why would you think that?"

"Harry, you're a terrible liar. Besides, really? Did you honestly think Hermione wouldn't tell me if my husband came to her and asked her to look into our neighbor?"

Harry turned red. "Oh, she told you that?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, Harry, she told me that."

"I can explain."

"You better damn well be able to." Ginny sat at the table, fixing her husband with a stern look.

Harry sighed, sitting down across from her. "I know that maybe I shouldn't have went to her, but I honestly was worried. The boy shows up looking like hell with bruises all over his face, what do you expect me to do? Especially because it was Malfoy." Here Ginny fixed him with another look. "Ginny, it's a good thing I did though!"

"Oh really? Why is that?" Ginny asked skeptically.

"Ginny, Hermione thinks Scorpius is being abused."

"What?!" Ginny yelped. "Oh my gosh, the poor boy!"

Harry began to tell her what Hermione had said about Scorpius and Daphne.

"Daphne? Greengrass?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, why?" Harry asked.

"Nothing." Ginny replied.

"Is she not trustworthy? Because you see I-"

"No," Ginny cut him off. "She is. She really is, she's changed a lot actually."

"Do you- do you know her?" Harry asked surprised.

"Not really." Ginny replied vaguely. "It's a long story, now is not the time to talk about it. What are we to do about Scorpius?"

"Um, I don't know." Harry said blankly. He was still quite confused about how Ginny and Daphne, and everything really.

"Did Hermione say anything?" Ginny rolled her eyes.

"She sad to keep on eye on him and tell her anything suspicious, that's it." Harry replied.

There was a moment of silence in which Ginny regained her previous look of thought as she pensively sipped at her tea. "Have you heard from James lately?"

Harry was once again thrown off. "No,why?"

"Oh, just wondering. It's been a while." Ginny said in a pseudo off-hand voice.

Harry stared at her. "You're feeling guilty."

He could tell this now. After years of knowing Ginny, whether it be as just his best mate's sister or as her spouse, Harry had been able to read Ginny like a book. Then again, Ginny wore her heart on her sleeve, it was easy to tell what she was feeling most times.

"What?" Ginny stood up and walked to the sink with obvious steps. "What would I be feeling guilty about?"

"What you said to James."

"I-I'm not." Ginny's voice now had a bit of a snappish tone. "I have an article to work on."

Harry sighed as his wife stalked out of the room. Ginny had a temper, this was obvious, and sometimes it got the better of her. The thing was, for some reason, James seemed to have an effect on her that just brought out her temper. Of course Ginny loved James, he was her son. Harry wasn't sure why Ginny had a short fuse when it came to James. Other than James being a bit of a troublemaker, he was really a sweet boy, Harry knew this. He had hypothesized that perhaps he reminded her of Fred and she couldn't take it, but James wasn't like Fred. And Harry still wondered what it was about James that made him invariably able to push Ginny's buttons.

Sure, James was a handful, a troublesome kid. And yes, he did act out a lot, but all in all, James was a very sweet boy, Harry knew that. It was just difficult to see past everything sometimes. Lily and Al were quite low maintenance and perhaps Ginny and Harry just didn't know how to deal with someone like James.

Harry tried to convince himself that he was over-thinking. Everything was fine. Ginny had just lost her temper once and now she was feeling guilty. For some reason though, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong with James. Resolving to send his eldest a letter later, Harry pushed the thoughts to the side of his mind.

* * *

><p>Scorpius slid out of his room, careful too close the door behind him softly. He padded towards the door of the manor, closing it behind him as he skipped down the steps and into the bright November sunshine. The sunshine was deceiving though. Its rays did little to fight the growing cold as winter fast approached. Still, Scorpius inhaled the crisp air with a wide smile on his face, happy to be outside of his house.<p>

He walked across the dying grass towards The Potter House, whistling merrily as he did so. Soon, he was once again faced with the heavy wooden door. He pulled the chain that rang the bell and waited, still whistling.

As soon as the door was opened, he was assaulted by a flash of bright red and then there was something on him, wrapping arms around his torso and clinging tightly. "SCORPIUS!" A voice shrieked.

"Blimey! Lily!" He exclaimed, stumbling backwards.

She released him, putting her hands on her hips and fixing him with a stony glare. "I don't know whether to punch you or hug you."

Scorpius tried to act serious, he really did. It was just, apart from her fierce glare, Lily did not look at all intimidating. Her curly red hair was in two pigtails that draped down her small shoulders. She stood a good foot shorter than Scorpius in her jeans and much too big blue sweater that clashed with her hair and bare feet. He laughed.

"Scorpius!" She punched him.

"Ow! Sheesh, Lils." He grinned. "It was just too funny."

She once again tried to look fierce, but broke down laughing. "Okay, maybe."

He laughed, putting an arm around her. "It's good to see you , again." His tone grew solemn. "I'm really sorry."

She turned around, facing him. "Why don't we just forget it? Everyone fights sometimes. It's in the past."

A smile slowly spread to his face. "Okay." He whispered.

"Yea?" She smiled softly.

"Yea." He agreed.

Lily grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards The Potter House.

"Scorpius!" Ginny exclaimed as they walked into the house. "What a pleasant surprise!" Scorpius was taken by surprise when she wrapped him in a tight hug. "How are you?" Ginny asked.

"I-I'm fine." He told her, confused. "How are you?"

She smiled at him. "I'm very good."

Scorpius exchanged looks with Lily.

"What is going on, mum?" The latter asked.

"Nothing!" Ginny exclaimed. "I'm just glad to see him, is there anything wrong with that?"

"No..." Lily trailed off suspiciously. "We're going to go to my room now."

"Alright." Ginny was still smiling weirdly. "Come down for dinner, whenever."

The two spent the time catching up. Sure it had only been a couple days, but they were used to seeing each other every day. They played a card game for a few hours and then the talk turned to Ginny's strange behavior.

"That was weird." Lily said as she collapsed on her bed. "What do you think it was about?"

Scorpius shrugged. "How would I know?"

Lily opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a scratching sound at the window. "That's Al's owl." She informed Scorpius, walking towards the window and retrieving the owl's letter.

In her excitement of reuniting with Scorpius, it seemed Lily had forgotten about her letter to Albus.

Slowly, she let her eyes scan the page, taking in the short letter.

"Oh no."

* * *

><p>Scorpius walked home, glancing back at The Potter House anxiously. When Al's letter had arrived, Lily had burst into tears. He had offered his help but she had kept shaking her head and asking for him to leave. So, eventually, he had given up and left, informing Harry and Ginny that their daughter seemed to be having a mental breakdown.<p>

He had to admit, he was more than a little worried about her now. It seemed she had become quite emotionally unstable and he couldn't help but blame himself. Even if Lily had put it behind her, Scorpius had still hurt her. He had hurt Lily. Someone so innocent and sweet. And he knew it wasn't his fault, he really couldn't help it, but that didn't mean he didn't feel bad.

He craned his neck, glancing back at the house, now just a small dot in the distance.

The darkness of the night had come quickly now and it coated the grounds between Malfoy Manor and The Potter House like a great big blanket. Well, perhaps that wasn't the best simile as it was steadily growing colder.

Scorpius shivered, wishing he had brought a coat with him. It was becoming so chilly that Scorpius was even somewhat relieved when he approached the door to his house.

He stepped into the house, carefully losing the door behind him. He was still in time for dinner, so maybe his parents wouldn't notice that he had been gone.

"Where have you been?" A cold voice cut across the presumed empty foyer.

Scorpius froze, turning around slowly to face his mother. "Mum, I was just out."

She was in his face within a second, her thin hand holding the collar of his shirt. "Where?" She hissed. "I'm tired of you just sneaking in and out of here like you own the place. You are going somewhere and I mean to find out where."

"I-I've just been walking the grounds, that's all, I swear." Scorpius lied.

"For the past three years?!" She scoffed. Her cold palm connected with his face. "Tell me the truth."

"Why does it matter?!" Scorpius snapped. "You don't care about me anyway! Why does it matter where I go!? I thought you'd be glad to be rid of me!"

She growled. "You better show me some more respect, boy."

"I would show you respect if I thought you deserved any." He answered.

She shoved him away and he stumbled backwards. "You insolent little prat! I am your mother!"

"As I stated before, you're a terrible mother." Scorpius growled.

He was done. He was fifteen and it was getting time that he stood up to her. He didn't have to take this.

"Don't you talk back to me!" Astoria shrieked.

"I'll do what I want!" Scorpius shot back.

"Where have you been going!?" She yelled. "Something has changed you and it's made you so disobedient!"

He scoffed. "_Made me disobedient?! _No, it's made me confident. It's made me into someone worth being!" He yelled. "You want to know where I've been going? Why I've 'changed'?! I'll give you two words. Lily Potter. That's right, _Potter._ They live next doors and at first I wasn't too sure what to do, but they have been nicer to me than anyone I've ever met before. And Lily? She hasn't made me disobedient! She's made me realize that I'm _worth _more than this. That I _deserve _more than to be used as your puppet! Nothing has changed about me, I'm still the same person I've always been. I'm just letting that person show now and it is all because of Lily Potter! So, you-you can just take your 'respect' and 'obedience' and leave me the hell alone! I'm done! You hear me, done! I won't deal with this anymore! I won't deal with _you _anymore!"

Scorpius was breathing quickly, his little speech having exhilarated him.

"What, did you just say to me?" Astoria's voice was eerily calm but coldness filled its every word.

Scorpius stood his ground, raising his head defiantly. "I said I'm done with you."

Astoria began walking forwards slowly, pulling out her wand. "Oh, no you are not." She hissed.

"What are you doing?" Scorpius eyed her wand uneasily, taking slow steps back.

The ornate chandelier shined above them, its light reflecting off the spotless metal tiles. It was a very pretty place in that simplistic way. Yet, Scorpius couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen that would not be pretty in the slightest.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson." She growled. "About time you learned your place."

"Mum, I don't think you want to do that." Scorpius put his hands up, still backing away.

"All I ever wanted was to be a mother. That's all I ever wanted. To have a girl to take care of, but no! _You _came along and ruined EVERYTHING!" Astoria had a mad look in her eyes and her smile was quite maniacal.

"Mum!" Scorpius was scared now. Something was seriously wrong with his mother.

"I won't let you ruin it any longer." Astoria continued, her tone still insane. "Oh no." She gave an insane laugh, pointing her wand at him.

"Mum, please!" Scorpius said as calmly as he could. "_Think!"_

"Crucio." She whispered.

And everything went black.

Scorpius screamed, his figure collapsing to the floor. All he was aware of us was the intense pain that flooded through every part of his body. He screamed and screamed, unable to do anything else. He couldn't see anything but the dark back of his eyelids. He couldn't hear anything but his own screams. He couldn't feel anything but the overwhelming pain.

His body writhed and thrashed on the once beautiful appearing, cold, marble tile. He was sure this was it. His mother had finally snapped and gone so crazy that she was going to murder him. Right there in his own foyer.

And then suddenly the pain stopped.

Scorpius took a deep shuddering breath, his eyes still tightly closed and his head swimming.

"Scorpius!" A voice sounded right beside him.

Blearily, he opened his eyes, giving a low moan. Blurrilly in front of him swam his father's face, concern painted on his face.

"Oh thank god." Draco sounded relieved, his hand subconsciously began to card itself through Scorpius's hair. "Don't worry, love." He whispered. "It's going to be alright, I won't let anyone hurt you anymore."

Scorpius's head began to swim again, his eyes fighting to stay open. He must be going crazy as well. His father would never be taking care of him like this. Scorpius smiled drowsily. "_Still," _he thought "_it's a nice feeling." _

And with that, his vision faded to blackness once again.

* * *

><p>Lily screamed frustrated, looking down at the letter.<p>

**Lily-**

**What did James do? I'm gonna kill him if he ever hurts you again. **

**-Albus**

How could she have done this? Of course Albus would tell James about the letter she had sent him. He would have wanted to make sure she was completely okay and would have asked James's opinion. And of course, James, being James, would think it was all his fault, especially when he hadn't received a letter. How could she have been so _stupid_!? She had just ruined her brother's relationship even further.

"Lily, darling." Harry's voice sounded from outside the door.

"I told you to leave me alone!" She snapped venomously.

"Lily, it's Scorpius." Harry said, a note of urgency and worry in his voice. "Draco just owled, he's been taken to St. Mungo's. His mother tried to kill him."

For a moment, Lily let the words sink in.

And then she screamed.

Everything was falling apart.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Hellllooooo! I am back! Sorry, it took so long! Anywhooo, I hope ya'll liked the chapter! Leave me a review? Also, if you could check out aforementioned fic, that would be amazing. I'm going to try to update it soon. <strong>

**Thanks! **

**~Foureverbookworm **


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven: <strong>

Scorpius woke up in the hospital, quite disoriented. "Wh-what? Where-?"

"Shh." A hand swept over his forehead, pushing back the hair that fell in his face. "It's okay. You're at the hospital." He recognized that voice.

"D-Dad?" He asked, even more puzzled.

"Yes, love." Draco whispered. "It's me."

Scorpius closed his eyes tighter. "This must be a dream."

Draco gave a little gasp, his voice cracked, sounding close to tears. "No, Scorpius, i-it's not a dream. I'm here." Draco continued carding his hand through his son's hair.

Scorpius sighed contently. "There's no way you're real." He murmured as his eyes fluttered closed again. "But, I wish you were."

Lulled by his pleasant dreams, Scorpius drifted back to sleep.

Draco sat beside his son's bed side, feeling like a complete failure. "I know I haven't been here for you." He told the sleeping boy. "But I am now, and I will be from now on. I am real."

* * *

><p>"When can we see him!?" Lily asked for what was probably the thousandth time.<p>

"Lily, we told you," there was a hint of annoyance in Ginny's voice. "Draco will owl us when Scorpius is awake and stable enough to receive visitors."

"Ugh! I'm so worried!" Lily exclaimed.

"We all are, but we have to be patient." Ginny said.

At that moment, Harry strolled into the room, holding a slip of paper. "Draco just owled, Scorpius woke up-"Lily made to get up, but Harry put a hand up, continuing. "-briefly, he's a sleep again." Lily sighed and slumped back into her seat. "Also, my associate just informed me that Astoria has been arrested and taken away. She's facing trial and possible time in Azkaban. Either way, all her parental claims on Scorpius have been revoked. Draco's are pending decision. They'll ask Scorpius when he wakes up permanently."

"When can we see him!?" Lily repeated, impatiently.

"Tomorrow." Harry told her. "No sooner, so don't ask."

Lily scowled. "Fine."

"It's late." Harry continued. "Go to bed."

Lily rose to her feet, sighing dramatically, "Fiiiiiiinnneee."

She hated to admit that she was actually very tired. The debacle with Scorpius had her brimming with worry and everyone knew being worried wore a person out. Yawning, Lily pushed the papers on her bed to the floor, climbing into bed. Her mind on seeing Scorpius the next day, eased now that she had heard he was okay, Lily fell asleep.

Meanwhile, the papers on the floor lay there. Utterly disregarded. Utterly forgotten. But, so, so, important.

The letter from Albus that had Lily so worried, it was nothing now. Gone from her mind.

Only if the issue were gone too.

* * *

><p>James curled his knees closer to his head.<p>

At first, he had sat at the base of the wall outside the Great Hall, just staring at the opposite wall in pure shock and self hate. However, as people had began to exit the hall, James had felt he had no choose but to move in order to avoid suspicion. So he had shut himself in the owlery, not caring that he was sipping all his classes. His feet had mechanically lead him to the owlery. His hands had automatically shut the door behind him.

And then he had screamed.

A scream of pure despair. What had he done? He had hurt Lily! She was upset because of him!

The rational part of his brain had stopped him. It could have been something else that had Lily upset. But then, he would have gotten a letter. And what else was there to make her so sad anyway?

The dingy room had slowly grown dark, leaving James now sitting in the dark, sitting on a lump of straw, his back to the wall. "I'm so pathetic." He whispered to himself. "I'm just-ugh." Another wave of self loathing washed over him. "No wonder your own parents hate you." His eyes widened as the words escaped his lips. "No, no, no, what am I saying!?" He let out a sound of frustration. "They don't hate me! They're my _parents! _They love me. They do. They have to." He buried his head back in his knees. "They love me, they love me, they love me." He repeated it like a mantra.

At last, he looked back up. "Oh hell, it doesn't matter. _I hate me. Who wouldn't?"_

The owlery door opened causing James to jump to his feet.

A familiar blonde poked her head through the door, an expression of relief on her face. "Oh, good. I've been looking for you everywhere!" Trixie walked into the room, closing the door behind her. Her blond hair was pulled up in a messy bun and she was clutching a pile of books, indicating that she had probably not gone to dinner due to her search. "Where were you? Emma and I were worried!"

"I'm sorry." James apologized. "I wasn't feeling well."

She stepped closer to her. "So you came to the owlery?"

He shrugged. "I like it here."

She sighed, putting her books down. "James, what is going on?" Her round brown eyes were filled with worry.

He pulled her into an embrace. "It's nothing. Don't worry."

She looked up at him. "I am worried! James, I'm your girlfriend! Please, please tell me what's going on!"

He looked down at her, the genuine concern in her eyes, the way she bit her lip ever so slightly. She was precious. Adorable. She cared. James was filled with an overwhelming sens of affection. "Trix I-I." He gulped. "I love you."

She gasped, taking a small step back. "Wow, um." One pale little hand ran through her hair. "James, this- this is really, really unexpected." Her cheeks were tinged with pink.

James felt ho blush creep to his cheeks. "I-I'm sorry, was it too soon? Oh god, I am so so sorry." He ran his hands through his hair in agitation. "This is, wow, this is awkward. I don't even know why I said that. I just-"She cut him off by pressing her lips to his, her arms throwing themselves around his shoulders. She drew back, smiling at the baffled expression on his face."And- and you just kissed me!" James gaped.

She stood on her tip toes, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. "I love you too."

James beamed, the smile lighting up his face and sparking some hope in his eyes. "Really?"

She grinned. "Oh, yeah. Definitely." She kissed him again.

James danced into the Hufflepuff common room, a dazed, but giddy, expression on his face. He slid into a seat next to Emma and sighed dreamily. "Hello. Isn't it just an amazing night?"

She looked at him teasingly. "Someone's been snogging." she turned to Eric who was sitting across from her. "Don't you think?"

He grinned, nodding. "Trixie and James, sitting in a tree..."

"Shut up!" James exclaimed, turning red, but he soon laughed.

"Tell us everything!" Emma ordered.

"Well, I was in the owlery because I wasn't feeling well." At James's beginning words, Emma shot him a concerned look. James pretended not to notice. "So, she came up there and we were talking and then I just sort of blurted out that I loved her."

Emma squealed and started flapping her hands excitedly. "What did she say, what did she say!?"

James smiled. "She was really shocked at first, but then she kissed me! And she told me she loved me too and-" He sighed again. "She's just so, so amazing."

Emma and Eric looked at each other before suddenly bursting into laughter.

"Hey!" James exclaimed, confuse. "Why the hell are you guys laughing!?"

"Sorry!" Emma gasped out between giggles. "It's just- you- you sound like a love struck puppy!"

"He _is _a love struck puppy!" Eric corrected, doubled over with laughter.

"Oh come on!" James wined, but he was smiling too. "Not the puppy stuff again!"

It was nice though. Sitting there in the warm common room, laughing with his friends. If only this was how it could always be.

If only it could last.

* * *

><p>Albus looked up from his homework as Trixie sat across from him. She looked happy, her hair was a little messy, but there was a huge smile on her face. "I freaking <em>love <em>your brother." She told him.

He stared at her. "What? Seriously?"

She nodded. "And he loves me too, and oh my god, this is amazing. Isn't he amazing?"

Albus shrugged.

"Oh come on!" Trixie threw her hands up in exasperation. "Not this again!"

"Not what!?"

"You, him, why can't you just get along?! You're brothers for god's sake!"

"We get along fine." Albus replied stiffly. He was still angry at his 'brother' for having hurt Lily. He didn't want to tell Trixie though, it was private business.

"Oh yes," Trixie rolled her eyes, sarcasm evident in her voice. "I can tell."

"Look, what goes on between James and I? That's our business, not yours. It's private." Albus snapped.

Trixie looked taken aback, blinking at him reproachfully. "Fine then." She rose to her feet and walked away.

Al sighed as he watcher her walk away. This is what James did to him, made him all snappy. He hadn't meant to be mean to Trixie, he was just stressed.

The boy pulled Lily's letter out from underneath the book. She hadn't replied after he had sent a letter back to her, asking her what James did. In all honesty, Albus wasn't sure why he disliked James so much. He just did. He supposed it was because James was a good guy, a great person and Al had to have something to show for himself. James was elder, it was more likely that he would be over shadowing Albus so Albus struggled to make sure that didn't happen. It wasn't something he particularly liked, but it had to be done. Al was terrified that if he stopped fighting James, then James would rise up and be better than him. And Al really just wanted to be the best.

He remembered a time when James and him had been close. It had been fun, playing Quiditch and tag. As they had grown, they had moved apart, though. They were just too different.

Albus sighed. Musing wasn't going to get him anywhere. If Lily wouldn't tell him what had happened, he would find out himself.

* * *

><p>Scorpius's eyes flitted open before being assaulted by light and closing quickly again. He gave a moan. "Somebody shut off the sun."<p>

Soft laughter met his ears and a voice spoke. "I see you're awake now."

Scorpius opened his eyes again, blinking to adjust to the light. "Dad?"

There he stood.

Draco Malfoy stood at the opposite corner of the room, looking quite apprehensive. "Hello son."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Cliffie? Anyway, sorry for the long wait. Go blame finals. :P Um... hope you liked the chapter!? Please Review!<strong>

**Thanks!**

**~Foureverbookworm**


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: *waves* Hi... I'm back. I apologize for the long gap between updates, but I had a lot going on and I needed to take a break. I'm doing better now, but I am still a little weary of making a commitment to updating. I hope you guys can understand that long gaps between updates are likely to be frequent. I apologize for this, but I will do the best I can. Thanks!<strong>

**~Foureverbookworm**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

"Hugo." Albus greeted in an oddly formal voice as he sat next to his younger cousin at breakfast.

"Hey, Al!" Hugo grinned. "What's up?"

"Have you heard from Lily recently?" Albus asked.

"Ya. She sent me a letter just the other day." Hugo looked perplexed.

"Did she sound… Off?"

"No…" Hugo looked at Albus suspiciously. "Why?"

"No reason." With that, Albus got up, and walked away.

* * *

><p>"Hello son."<p>

Scorpius groaned. "Oh damn. What did I do this time?"

Draco looked confused. "What?"

"You only ever act nice to me when I really screwed up and we're somewhere public so you're waiting until we get home to metaphorically murder me." Scorpius explained. He didn't remember anything after having passed out, but could only assume his parents were furious with him for landing himself in the hospital. He just didn't care anymore. Scorpius had meant what he has said, he was done with his parent's bullshit.

Draco seemed speechless for a few moments. "Your mother tried to kill you." He said simply.

"Yes, I'm aware." Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Come here to finish the job then?"

To his surprise, Draco's eyes began to water. "Have I- have I really treated you that badly?" He asked. "Oh god, I'm a terrible person." He made a noise of frustration. "I thought I was becoming better!"

"Uh… Dad?" Scorpius looked at his father with a little surprise and a little fear. "You- er- you okay?"

"I am so sorry, son." Draco looked into Scorpius's eyes. "I don't expect you to believe me, and I won't ever expect you to forgive me for what I have done to you, but I pride I'll try to- no- I WILL change. I'm going to treat you right. Your mother… She had a negative effect on me, it's no excuse, but she's gone now. I'm so sorry, son. I am."

Scorpius stared at his father in shock. "What the bloody hell are you on?"

Draco laughed drily. "Nothing. I'm being honest, Scor, is it okay if I call you that? Your friend does, right? Lily Potter? She's been ever so eager to see you again."

"You talked to Lily?!" Scorpius asked.

"Yes. She's absolutely lovely!" Draco laughed. "First thing she did upon seeing me was kick me in the shin and call me a- what was it?- Ah! 'Blast-ended Skrewt souled bastard with the heart and brain of a mountain troll' I like her."

Scorpius couldn't help but laugh. "Sounds like Lily."

"She very much wanted to see you yesterday, but you weren't awake and Madam Knave is very adamant about her visitation rules. I expect she'll be back later today though." Draco paused. "Healer Adams said you can go home tomorrow. I'm not going to force you but, will you give me a second chance?"

"I-" Scorpius thought for a moment. "I suppose." He said carefully.

"Really?" Draco brightened a little.

Scorpius nodded, hoping he wouldn't regret it.

* * *

><p>"Have you heard from Mr. Malfoy?" Lily asked her father for the hundredth time.<p>

"No, Lily. As I said two minutes ago, I'll tell you when I do." Harry sighed, half annoyed and half amused.

Lily sighed frustratedly and waltzed out of the room.

She had taken to pacing around the house waiting for an owl to come from Draco so she could go visit her best friend. The revelation of Scorpius's home life had been a shocking surprise to her. She had been so angry at him and wrapped up with the issue between James and Al, she hadn't noticed. In all honesty, the fourteen year old was absolutely disappointed with herself. She should have seen the signs. She should have looked into it more. Instead all she did was get angry with him, all while Scorpius was suffering. She had thought he owed her an apology, when it was actually her who owed him one. It seemed so obvious now. The bruises, hurry to get home for dinner, the fact she'd never been to his place, the certain air of alertness he always had around him.

To her surprise, neither her mother nor father had seemed overly surprised, just very worried. They had immediately taken her and apparated to St. Mungos where Harry had an intense, but quiet fight with Draco while Ginny and Lily simply glared at the blond man. As soon as Harry had finished whisper-yelling at Draco, the matron had allowed them in to see an unconscious and battered Scorpius. This was when Lily had erupted at him, calling him an array of names while, to her surprise, Harry and Ginny did nothing. To her even greater surprise, Draco had sighed, collapsing to the floor in tears. The following conversations had been very interesting. In short, it ended with the Potters leaving, not fully trusting Draco, but believing he was a man trying to change. After all, wasn't everybody?

Her musing was interrupted by a grand and regal eagle owl swooping in through an open window. Lily had been sure to leave a window open despite the cold early December air.

"Dad!" Lily yelled, grabbing the letter from the owl.

Harry came running into the room as Lily tore open the letter, reading it eagerly. "He's awake!" She cheered. "And he wants to see me! Can I see him! Can we go see him?"

"I don't see why not." Harry couldn't help but smile a little. He wanted to talk to Scorpius too. "Gin!" He called. "C'mon, Scorpius's awake."

Ginny emerged from the kitchen, pulling on her coat. "Have any of you heard from James or Al?" She asked.

Harry sighed, shaking his head. "I kept meaning to write… Just sent a letter last night to Jamie." He mumbled, reaching for floo powder.

"C'mon! Let's go!" Lily urged, unwilling to divert her mind. She would not get upset right now. Not when Scor was possibly better.

Soon the three Potters were tumbling into the waiting room of St. Mungos where they hurriedly went to the private ward Scorpius was being held in.

"Scor!" Lily squealed, jumping onto his bed and wrapping him in a big hug, knocking Draco aside in the process. "Oh my gosh! I missed you so much! I was so, so, so, worried."

He buried his face in her shoulder, hugging her back. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you." He whispered.

To his surprise, she punched him in the shoulder, scowling. "Don't you _dare _apologize to me, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy!"

"You really aren't scary you know." Draco grinned softly, raising an eyebrow at Harry, who smirked.

"That's what I told her!" Scorpius laughed as Lily pouted.

"Ask Albus and James, they'll tell you how scary she can really be." Ginny smiled.

"Thank you mother." Lily said appreciatively, sticking her tongue out at the others in the room.

"I wasn't done!" Ginny exclaimed. "They adore you because you are their little cute sister who couldn't hurt a fly."

Lily scowled again as the rest of the room laughed and she smiled.

It was turning out to be a good morning.

* * *

><p>"James Sirius Potter, get the hell up!" A pillow hit his face as the voice screamed.<p>

James blinked, sitting upright quickly and staring at the blurry figure in front of him. "Wha?" He asked unintelligibly.

He felt his glasses being rammed onto his face and his vision cleared. Emma was standing in front of him, he arms crossed with a pillow in her hand and a scowl on her face. Off to the side, Eric was laughing his head off, doubled over at the groggy look on James's face. "What did I do _this _time?" James scowled, though a slight smile tugged at his cheeks.

"I am _tired _of waking you up! You are insufferable!" Emma grumbled. "Have you _ever _woken up on your own?"

"No." James answered; smiling now was Eric continued to roar with laughter. This tended to happen about once every few months. Emma would get 'fed up' with always having to wake James up and yell at him, though Emma really wasn't very scary, and vow that she wasn't going to wake him up from then on, only to wake him up the next morning with a hug. The thing was, James was perfectly capable of waking up himself and he did so often. Emma just always woke him up when he had been extremely tired the night before, which had been increasingly often nowadays.

"Why do I have to get up anyway?" James whined. "It's Saturday!"

"_Hogsmeade _Saturday!" Emma snapped. "You have a date!"

James leapt to his feet. "Oh shit!"

By this point, Eric was practically on the floor with laughter.

"Shut up!" James groaned. "Oh damn, I'm so screwed!"

Suddenly, Emma burst out into laughter as well and James raised an eyebrow, scowling. "C'mon, Em! This isn't funny!" He checked his watch seeing it was half past ten meaning most students would have already headed to Hogsmeade. What time had he told Trixie he would meet her? He struggled to remember. "When did I say I'd meet Trixie?" He asked aloud, pacing in front of his bed. His friends continued to giggle madly. "Oh stop it would you! We were talking in the owlery yesterday about Hogsmeade today, and I asked her if she wanted to make it into a date, and she said... She said she was planning on going with her friends so I -" He stopped pacing, his face red. "I hate you guys!"

Emma and Eric were clutching each other to keep themselves upright. "You actually believed us!" Emma laughed. "And Eric wouldn't even shut up!"

James scowled, but once again a smile pulled at his lips. "Not funny guys!" He yelped.

"It's actually bloody _hilarious_!" Eric laughed. "Hey, don't look at me like that, it was Em's idea!"

James collapsed back on his bed. "I 'ma sleep again." He murmured into his pillow.

"Oh no you're not!" Emma pulled his pillow out from underneath him. "Eric and I have been waiting _forever_ to go eat breakfast."

"And there's a letter from your dad." Eric said, his voice a little hesitant.

Though James and Eric hadn't known each other well until the latter began dating Emma in their late fourth year, they had always been relatively friendly as they shared the dorm. However, over the past year or so that Eric and Emma went out, Eric had become one of James's closest friends and the three were a close group. Therefore, both Eric and Emma knew of James's various problems in relation to his family.

James raised his head slowly and sighed. "Wonderful." He muttered.

"We'll wait for you in the common room." Emma said quietly, dragging Eric away.

In ten minutes, James was running down the stairs to the Hufflepuff Common Room where Eric and Emma sat talking as they waited. Together, the three walked down n relative silence to the relatively empty Great Hall. As they helped themselves to toast and sausages, Emma passed James the letter from his father. With slight apprehension, James opened it, scanning it silently.

_James,_

_Hullo! It's been a while since Mum and I heard from you. We just wanted to assure that everything was okay..._

_Look, I know there were some things said the last time we met, but I'm sure Ginny didn't mean any of it. She's been feeling awfully guilty of late. It would really help if you could just drop a word in._

_Looking forward to seeing you at Christmas!_

_Love from Dad_

James sighed, almost in relief. "He just wants me to write them 'cause Mum's been feeling guilty for yelling at me." He said relief evident in his tone.

Emma scowled. "Well, it's her fault."

"Emma!" James exclaimed. "It's not! Okay? She- she was just mad. Don't- don't talk about my mum like that." He looked a little lost.

"James! Why do you have to be so _stupid!_?" Emma yelled. "Can't you see this isn't right?"

"She's my Mum!" James yelled back. "What do you expect me to do!"

Emma opened her mouth again, but Eric put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from talking.

"I'm not very hungry." James said abruptly, leaving his half eaten piece of toast and walking out of the hall. As he walked off towards the owlery, Emma heard him mutter: "She's probably right anyway."

"What did I just do?" Emma asked Eric in a whisper.

Eric sighed. You _know _that's a sensitive issue for him." He said. "He's... something's not right with him, Em. Nor his mum. I know she and him have always been at odds, but it's never been _this _bad."

"_He's _never been this bad." Emma bit her lip worriedly. Since the age of thirteen, James was prone to bouts of sadness, but now it seemed to encompass him. He was sad more than he was happy.

"Do you think- do you think _we _should write to his dad?" Eric wondered.

Emma shook her head. "Not yet."

It was obvious though, something was very wrong with their friend.

* * *

><p>Harry sat quietly in the hospital room. Ginny, Draco, and Lily had gone to fetch lunch for them all to eat in Scorpius's hospital room, but he had volunteered to stay behind with the boy. There were things he needed to discuss with the young Malfoy.<p>

"Is everything okay, Mr. Potter?" Scorpius asked, noting the man's brooding silence.

"I just-" Harry was feeling guilty. "I didn't even think of this as a possibility." He said. "I just thought you were up to something shady with your father. I-I'm sorry, I should've known."

Scorpius frowned. "I'm not a bad person, Mr. Potter."

"I know that." Harry sighed. "I was just blinded by prejudice, I suppose."

"But, still." Scorpius continued. "You couldn't have known. I tried to keep it that way. Most people wouldn't have been able to notice." Scorpius smiled sadly. "Most people don't notice the kid who's getting beat up."

Harry looked at him in an almost doleful way. "I'm not most people." He said softly "I was _that kid. _The one who struggled, dreaded going home because there really wasn't much of a home to go to. I was the kid with the silent tears in the middle of the night, the bruises from head to toe, scars that don't really ever fade. Scorpius, that was _me._" Memories of his time at the Dursley's, his uncle's rage, swept over Harry and he shuddered, feeling almost like a scared kid again. "It doesn't- It doesn't leave you, Scorpius."

"Oh." Scorpius said softly. "I apologize, Mr. Potter. I didn't know."

"Very few people do. Not even Ginny knows." Harry replied. "And I am sorry, you shouldn't be. The only reason I'm telling you this, it's not to make you feel bad. I want you to know, if you ever need to talk. You can always, _always _come to me. I do _know _what it's like."

Scorpius nodded, pausing for a moment. "I think I may take you up on that later." He whispered.

Harry nodded grimly.

There was another pause before Scorpius spoke again. "Do you think I made the right decision, Mr. Potter?"

"How so, Scorpius?" Harry asked lightly.

"By giving my father another chance. I mean, I figured he was just being influenced by my mother, it was mostly her anyway, but, well-" he blushed. "I'm nervous."

Harry thought for a moment before speaking. "Whether you made the right decision is something you will only know with time. However, Draco is not an inherently bad person, this I know. He is simply very easily influenced. I think, but don't hold me to this, under a better influence, in this case you and us, he will be better."

Scorpius nodded as the sound of the other three returning with food reached their ears. "I hope."

* * *

><p>Albus laughed as he, his girlfriend, Hannah Thomas, Trixie and a few of their other friends wandered around Hogsmeade.<p>

"We HAVE to go to Zonko's!" David Millard, a muggle born boy in Al's year, said.

There was a murmur of agreement, but Ally Longbottom, Al's god-sister, spoke up. "Before that, why don't we check out that new little trinkets shop? I've heard they have some really cool stuff." She grinned mischievously. "Stuff you can't get elsewhere."

Excited with the prospect of new pranking tools, the group meandered into the shop, eager to find cool gadgets that were in the metaphorical _grey _area. Of course, they were all perfectly good people and would never use them for the wrong purposes. However, someone as brave and curious as a Gryffindor couldn't help but be drawn to such things, just for experiment.

Albus browsed the shelves, examining the various items with interest. Hannah, Trixie, and Ally were giggling over something, while Al and the other boys browsed randomly. That was when he saw it. A little blue bottle filled with an oddly red liquid. "_Secrets no More" _The title said, "_Force the truth, and nothing but the truth out of your friends and enemies." _Al's hand stretched out towards it, thinking of James. He quickly withdrew his hand, nearly jumping away. Hadn't his father always told him such things were _never _to be trusted? He had said they often went to far and even hurt the other person. He didn't want to hurt James, he knew that. However, oddly enough, for those few fleeting seconds, it had seemed like a brilliant idea.

"What's going on?" Albus whispered to himself. Sure, James and him didn't get along, but he never had felt malice towards the other boy.

"Hey, Al!" Hannah yelled, throwing her arms around him. "You coming or you just gonna stare at the shelf all day?"

"Sorry, coming." Albus muttered distractedly.

However, as he walked out of the shop, his mind was still fixed on that potion. Something was odd.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Hi! I missed you guys! Did you miss me? Probably not... Anyway, drop a review if you'd like, it would be muc appreciated. Also, for my research class at school, we have to do projects based off specific topics. Mine is a blog/website on the topic of writing realistic and developed characters, especially in relation to gender stereotyping. So, if you guys could check that out, it would be a HUGE help. The link is **

** foureverbookworm wordpresscom .wordpress Minus the spaces.**

**Also, if you click the menu in the top left corner, there is a survey page as I have to do a survey for a grade, (between you and me, I think it's useless), but if you could just do that, it would help a bunch as well.**

**Thank You All My Lovelies!**

**Love!**

**~Foureverbookworm**


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. :)**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER NINE<strong>

Harry James Potter was a grown man. He had been for a while. In fact, one could say, he'd never really had a childhood. He had been through much hardship, much sadness, and oh so much pain. He was strong, or so people told him. However, standing there, in front of a bathroom mirror, staring at his shirtless torso, all he could feel was weakness. The incident with Scorpius had him reeling, especially considering over the past week and a half during which Scorpius had returned to Malfoy Manor, he had been over to the Potters every day, still too nervous to be around his father. All those memories Harry had tried to supress were surfacing again.

Everyone knew Harry Potter had many struggles in his life. The murder of his parents, fighting Voldemort, the tri-wizard tournament, being ridiculed by the ministry, all who he loved dying, and of course, his final battles with evil. These everyone knew about. Commending him for being so young and doing so much. Marvelled at the scars he had acquired from those battles, namely the one on his forhead. Some, mostly his very close friends and family, comforted him from the pain these had caused. Ginny had always been there when he would wake up screaming. However, no one had ever known about the pain inside of him still. The pain that had nothing to do with magic.

Harry closed his green eyes, feeling like a child again, remembering when his torso wasn't so bare. He opened them again, trying to force back the assault of memories. He knew he should talk to someone as Sirius and Remus had urged him to do before they died. The memory of them hit him and another wave of pain encompassed him. He _missed _them. It had been _years, _but he still wished they were with him. They would understand if they were there. They would know what he should do. They were gone though. Long gone. That left only one person. Harry grinned slightly. There usually was only one person left.

Though Ron and him had been closer during their Hogwarts years, and Ginny was his very loving wife, there was really only one person still alive who just _understood _Harry. The one and only, Hermione Granger.

* * *

><p>Albus Severus Potter was brooding. This was not something he did often, but things were just <em>not <em>going his way.

Lily had replied to his letter claiming everything was fine and that she had just been having a bad day, he had been so wrapped up in wondering if she was lying or not a he had failed a Transfiguration exam, much to McGonnagall's vexation, he had then been so preoccupied with that incident he had slipped up in potions and, much to his chagrin, set his cauldron on fire, all while that potion from Hogsmeade hovered in the back of his mind. As if that wasn't enough, Hannah had come up to him the day after the Hogsmeade trip and broke things off, saying she wasn't feeling anything. To Albus's compunction, this was almost a relief. He hadn't been feeling much for Hannah either. It still hurt to be so flippantly rejected though.

"Oh, cheer up, Albus!" Trixie urged him from beside him in Charms. "It's almost holidays!" She reminded him brightly.

Albus, however, was not in the mood to be optimistic, it seemed. "Oh yay." He said drily. "A whole two weeks with James."

Trixie scowled. "There's also the rest of your family, you know. And James is very nice to be around." She stood up huffily and stalked away.

Albus watched her go and sighed. He hadn't meant to be so snappish and bitter. It seemed it was happening increasingly often now. He found himself in foul moods, feeling irrationally angry. Something wasn't right.

Sighing and pushing the thought from his mind, Albus got to his feet and walked away, heading towards his last Herbology class before break.

As he walked out of the hall, not really looking where he was going, he tried to focus on seeing Lily again, he really did miss her. Suddenly, he collided with someone sending his and the other person's books toppling to the floor. "Oh sorry!" He said quickly, still not really looking at who it was he had bumped into, as he crouched down to pick up his books as the other person had done.

"My fault." A familiar voice mumbled.

"Oh. James." Al said shortly and awkwardly.

"Hullo." James replied hollowly, standing up with his books and handing Albus his. For some reason, he wouldn't meet Al's eyes.

"Are you... er... okay, James?" Al asked. His brother did look utterly forlorn.

James looked at him surprised. "Of course. Are you?" He didn't seem to be okay though.

"Yes. Just-" Al stopped short. "Nothing."

James looked at him worriedly. "Albus, you can tell me if something's wrong you know, I am your brother."

A sudden inexplicable wave of irrational anger crashed over Albus. "Leave me alone, won't you?!" He snarled fiercely. "The only thing that's wrong is you." _"He hurt Lily..." _A small snide voice said in the back of Al's mind. "You hurt _my _sister!" Al growled. "And I can't stand the _sight _of you!" With that, he shoved past James and stalked away.

He stomped to the greenhouse in a cloud of anger, stopping short as he reached it. His green eyes widened. What had he done?

* * *

><p>Scorpius Malfoy was confused to say the least. He didn't know <em>how <em>to feel. Sure, his father was being nicer than ever, taking him to quidditch matches, ordering food for them, and all. It just seemed so... so _weird_. That wasn't the Draco Malfoy Scorpius knew. It was difficult to tell which one, the past Draco who had tormented him, or the new one who bought him mass amounts of chocolate to make up for missed holidays, was the real one and which one was fake, an act.

"Scorpius?" A voice spoke out of the grey light in the living room.

Scorpius jumped, still not accustomed to the safety, or imagined safety, he now was in.

"It's just me, Scorpius." Draco said lightly, sitting next to his son on the couch. "Everything okay?"

Scorpius opened his mouth to say everything was just peachy, but the words died in his throat.

He was scared, and he didn't know why. The past weeks had been very different, and he had found himself yearning for a closer relationship with his father, but he wasn't sure if the man wanted it, nor was he sure how to ask for it. How was he to know whether such a request would make Draco mad again. How was he to know if the man would laugh in his face? But he so _wanted _to tell him. The yearning he had when he was younger, before he lost hope in his parents, it was back tenfold. The yearning for a feeling of safety, family, a _home_.

He wanted to voice this feeling, but at the same time he didn't. He didn't want to say he was fine, because he wasn't sure if that was truth, but he didn't think saying he wasn't fine would be truthful either. Instead, he simply settled for shrugging.

"You can tell me if something is wrong, you know, son." Draco said.

"Can I though?" Scorpius asked before he could stop himself. "Can I really?"

Draco blinked, looking slightly taken aback. His face turned serious and he thought a moment before he spoke. "That's your decision. But Scor, I'm trying. And I-I understand it may be hard for you. I just hope we can get to a point where you can trust me."

Scorpius remained silent, turning away.

Draco sighed. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"Do you honestly expect me to?" Scorpius retorted.

"Of course I don't." Came the simple reply. "I've been awful to you. But I am not lying when I say I want to change, I know it's difficult to believe, but _please _just tell me how I can get you to believe me."

"I-" Scorpius looked down. "I don't know." He whispered.

Draco looked away. "I understand."

"It's just-" Scorpius began unsure, but Draco looked up quickly. "I can't tell if it's real. This-this _new _you. I-It's nice, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't feel _real_. It feels like a limbo, halfway between a home and what this place used to be for me." He threw all caution to the wind and simply let himself speak everything on his mind. It had been bugging him far too much for far too long. "I want the quidditch matches to be the two of us in the backyard, the food to be home cooked, I want to _know _it is real."

Draco sighed, but nodded understandingly. He paused for a moment before speaking again. "Anything." He said simply. "I will do anything. I can't cook to save my life, but I will try and not burn the food, I haven't played quidditch since I was eighteen, but I'll learn again. I haven't been a father, ever, but I will become one."

A "slightly blackened" pizza later, Scorpius was finally beginning to think he may have found his home after all.

* * *

><p>"Hermione?" Harry asked softly, stepping into her office.<p>

"Hullo Harry!" She said brightly. After they exchanged a hug and some greetings, her face slipped back into somberness. "I was expecting you would be here soon. After the whole debacle with young Mr. Malfoy."

Harry gave her a wane smile, he knew he had made the right decision.

"How are you doing?" Hermione asked. The expression on her face made Harry laugh a little. "What?" Hermione asked annoyed.

"Nothing. I just think you should have gone into psychiatry instead of Magical Law." He joked.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, but a slight smile was on her face. "You deflect too easily, Harry."

He sighed, his smile dropping. "I know."

Hermione leaned forward, smiling at her friend in a soft, worried way. "How about you tell me what's wrong?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

**Hey! Sorry it took so long... again. Life has been ugh. Anyway, I wasn't too happy with this chapter, it's too short and brief, but tell me what you guys think? I promise next chapter will be better!**

**Thanks my Lovelies!**

**~Foureverbookworm**


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